1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: What's going on? And buddy, welcome to Wednesday did the 2 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Texas All Access from Monday Texans Radio Studio. I am 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:09,200 Speaker 1: your host, John Harris Football, I know the sideline reporter. 4 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: Glad to be with you on this wonderful, wonderful night 5 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 1: in our beautiful city of Houston, Texas. And we await 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:25,159 Speaker 1: the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, coming odd day today for 7 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,240 Speaker 1: the Texans over at the facility, no practices, they've had 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: some sickness, not COVID, and they just wanted to take 9 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: a day to step back, make sure everybody's okay, and 10 00:00:34,920 --> 00:00:36,839 Speaker 1: they'll get back to work now. If you're going, oh 11 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 1: wait a second, well, they hadn't happened last year in 12 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:41,360 Speaker 1: twenty twenty and they went out won a game at 13 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: the end of it. So I don't know if you're 14 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 1: a superstitious type or just a little stitious, as Eli 15 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: Manning likes to say, Yeah, who knows. It's the Colts. 16 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: You know the Colts pretty well. Both teams are actually 17 00:00:54,160 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: a bit banged up. We'll get to a little bit 18 00:00:56,200 --> 00:00:58,360 Speaker 1: later to show with the injury report, but we're gonna 19 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: kick off the show as we do each and every Wednesday, 20 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: and that is with a visit, an exclusive visit with 21 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:09,600 Speaker 1: the general manager of your Houston Texans, Nick Cassario. We 22 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:11,920 Speaker 1: talked about a lot of different things in this sit 23 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:16,960 Speaker 1: down interviews. So let's rock Mark, me and Nick. All right, 24 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,880 Speaker 1: let's start here. I want to talk about the Justin 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: Reid situation for just a moment. Coach addressed it. So 26 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: I know numerous members of the organization have talked about this, 27 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: but from your perspective, keeping everybody on the same page, 28 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: what are your thoughts. Yeah, I think we've been consistent 29 00:01:31,240 --> 00:01:33,240 Speaker 1: from the beginning of the year. You know, any situation 30 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: that we have with a player that comes up, you know, 31 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: we have always addressed it directly. Coach Colley had a 32 00:01:37,600 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: conversation with Justin before the game and formed of a 33 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:42,480 Speaker 1: decision and we move forward. Everybody was back in the 34 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: building here yesterday, so we'll take it one week at 35 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: a time. So, you know, again, I think coach handled it. 36 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: Coach addressed it. I don't really have anything to add 37 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: you know. I think any conversation is that we have, 38 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: you know, with a player about the situation, and we 39 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: always keep it between ourselves and the player. You know, 40 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: It's not something that you know, we're going to discuss publicly. 41 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: Sunday against the Jets, you get out to the fourteen 42 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: three lead, then obviously they climbed back and get in 43 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 1: the ball game. Were your roll thoughts of coming out 44 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:10,520 Speaker 1: of Sunday unfortunately with the loss of the Jets. Yeah, 45 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: each week, usually the game's going to come down to 46 00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:15,320 Speaker 1: a handful of plays, six or eight plays, whatever it is. 47 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,519 Speaker 1: And in the case on Sunday, the Jets made those 48 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:21,720 Speaker 1: plays and we didn't. Going back to Tennessee, we were 49 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:23,760 Speaker 1: fortunately able to make those plays. So, you know, there 50 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 1: was probably a handful of plays in the game ultimately 51 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 1: determined um, you know, and in the end, we didn't 52 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:31,000 Speaker 1: execute well enough when it was offensively, defensively in a 53 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,240 Speaker 1: kicking game, and as a result, you know, the score 54 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: and the result ended up being what it was. Running 55 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: the ball has been difficult, but early out of that 56 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:39,360 Speaker 1: game you had some cracks there. You were able to 57 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,799 Speaker 1: get some yardage on the ground and get some things moving. 58 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:44,960 Speaker 1: You had some momentum offensively that had been difficult to 59 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: achieve previously. Yeah, we moved the ball at different points. 60 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,440 Speaker 1: We're able to create some movement all on of scrimmage. 61 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: You know, had had some decent double teams on the 62 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,359 Speaker 1: left side with Titus and Lane, so you know, there 63 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 1: were or pockets of opportunities there and we were able 64 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: to gain you know, three or four yards to carry 65 00:03:01,160 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: or four yards a pop, whatever it was, and try 66 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: to put ourselves in, you know, more manageable situations. So 67 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:08,120 Speaker 1: I think the biggest thing from a team perspective is 68 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 1: just doing things at a more consistent level, you know, 69 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:13,080 Speaker 1: play after play after play and not necessarily kind of 70 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:15,400 Speaker 1: one play here, one play there, and you know, if 71 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:17,160 Speaker 1: we're able to do that, then we'll give ourselves a 72 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:20,000 Speaker 1: better chance. Nick Titus Howard is inspiration for this question, 73 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: but I think about a lot of this when it 74 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: comes to draft time too, because there are times when 75 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 1: you watch a player in college and you go and 76 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: he's not a center, he's a guard, or he's not 77 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:31,919 Speaker 1: an outside linebacker, he's an inside linebacker, or he's this. 78 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,960 Speaker 1: When you have a guy like like Titus who has 79 00:03:36,040 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: capability of playing guard, but he's played a lot of 80 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: tackle in college, how difficult is that for you and 81 00:03:41,080 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: your staff to kind of look at a guy and go, well, 82 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:46,880 Speaker 1: we think he's this versus you know, he's really comfortable 83 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: playing the other position, but we really think he's how 84 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: do you kind of go through all of that and 85 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:52,680 Speaker 1: how does Titus kind of get caught in the cross 86 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 1: section of that and something. So it's an interesting thought, 87 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: and I think what you'll find is each team has 88 00:03:56,760 --> 00:03:59,080 Speaker 1: a different philosophy on that. I think you some teams 89 00:03:59,080 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: will say, Okay, ifs not this tall, this arm length, 90 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 1: that he's automatically gonna play here, And I think what 91 00:04:05,080 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: you have to do you have to keep an open mind. 92 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: I think what you have to be careful of is 93 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: you know player that Let's use Sean Slater as an example, 94 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 1: So you play left tackle in Northwestern was six three, 95 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: six four and change whatever he was. So I think 96 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: the inclination is, okay, that players automatically gonna move inside 97 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: and play guard. Well, okay, when you move from tackle 98 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:26,599 Speaker 1: to guard, and there's really no evidence of that, Like 99 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:28,599 Speaker 1: is that the best decision is at the right decision 100 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 1: So certain players can handle it move better than others. 101 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,200 Speaker 1: I would say philosophically, if the tackles a tackle, leading 102 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: a tackle until he can't play tackle, which I think 103 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: Slater I mean arguably has been one of the best 104 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:40,120 Speaker 1: offensive tackles in the league, you know, and there was 105 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,440 Speaker 1: a discussion about these the tackle as a guard. We 106 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:44,840 Speaker 1: went through this with Logan Mankins in New England. You know, 107 00:04:44,880 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: he played left tackle at Fresno State and then from 108 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 1: day one we moved him inside and he played guard 109 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: and he had a ten to twelve year career, is 110 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 1: one of the better guards in the league. So some 111 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 1: players are able to handle the adaptation, the adjustment moving 112 00:04:57,680 --> 00:04:59,599 Speaker 1: from one position to the other. I think with the 113 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:03,400 Speaker 1: inside positions there's probably a little bit more flexibility because 114 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,760 Speaker 1: other than putting a hand on the center has to 115 00:05:06,760 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: be able to put their ball. Their hand on the 116 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: ball like you have to be able to snap the ball. 117 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,440 Speaker 1: So if a player can't do that and handle all 118 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: the communication, everything that goes along with it, then maybe 119 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: he's a guard only. So I think you have to 120 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: be careful of Okay, this guy's is this certain size, 121 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: he can only play this position. I would say philosophically, 122 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,719 Speaker 1: that's not something that we're gonna do moving forward, but 123 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,200 Speaker 1: every team has a different belief on that. As it 124 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,480 Speaker 1: pertains to Titus. So Titus played played more right tackle 125 00:05:30,520 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: than he did at Alabama, state. If I remember correctly, 126 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 1: you know, got a few snaps at left tackle at 127 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:39,760 Speaker 1: the Senior Bowl, and then when he started his career here, 128 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: I think they tried him inside a guard and then 129 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: moving them back out there at tackle. And I think 130 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,119 Speaker 1: when we started the season, you know, with the team, 131 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: our philosophy is always we're gonna put the best people 132 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:49,400 Speaker 1: out there, regardless of who they are. So when we 133 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:51,919 Speaker 1: started the year, we felt our best five included Cannon 134 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 1: at right tackle, Howard inside at right and guard, and 135 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: then the left side with a LT and then you 136 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 1: know Max at the time or whomever was left left. 137 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: So I'd say from a mental standpoint, you know, a 138 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 1: lot of the information is similar. It's just sort of 139 00:06:06,279 --> 00:06:11,040 Speaker 1: recalibrating just placement, footweark hand those types of things and techniques. 140 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 1: And I'd say so tight as his credit tight as 141 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,159 Speaker 1: a smart kid. He's a smart kid. He works hard, 142 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:18,120 Speaker 1: and then he practiced. He's practiced at tackle throughout the 143 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 1: course of the year, so it wasn't like, Okay, he 144 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: played guard all of a sudden, and you know it's 145 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:22,880 Speaker 1: the first time he went out there and played tackle. 146 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 1: So he went out there and handled himself fairly well. 147 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: You know, against the good edge players. So you know, 148 00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:29,640 Speaker 1: we'll see what the assignment is this week, and you 149 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: know where we end up going. If there's a good 150 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 1: chance that he's gonna play left tackle again, there's gonna 151 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: be a different set of rushers or different set of 152 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:36,520 Speaker 1: defenders that we're going to have a cross from him, 153 00:06:36,560 --> 00:06:38,719 Speaker 1: So we'll see how it goes. It's interesting with what 154 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 1: you just said because everybody from the outside looking in, 155 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: they look at the starting five upfront, but depth is 156 00:06:46,160 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 1: always tested. It seems like if it's not, then great, 157 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: that's a luxury problem to have, right But you're always 158 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,640 Speaker 1: looking for the next guy to come up. Do you 159 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: understudy Jimmy Morris? He playing setup for You're right now. 160 00:06:57,240 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: You talked about communication. You have to be ready for 161 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:02,279 Speaker 1: all that stuff. Absolutely. You look at most team, most 162 00:07:02,279 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 1: teams are going to carry anywhere from eight to ten 163 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: offensive linemen on their rosters, So you're gonna have probably 164 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: four tackles and then four or five inside players. Now 165 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:11,720 Speaker 1: you might also have some of your depth off the 166 00:07:11,760 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: roster on the practice squad and those players at some point, 167 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,560 Speaker 1: so anywhere you're probably gonna have ten to twelve offensive 168 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:18,679 Speaker 1: linemen on your team. So when you go to the game, 169 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: forget about the eighth lineman rule for the time being. 170 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 1: You know you can take eight lineman. Now it gives 171 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 1: you an extra body, but you'd usually take another guy. 172 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 1: So if something happens to one of your tackles, who's 173 00:07:28,600 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: the next tackle? And then if something happens on the inside, 174 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: who's the next inside player? Okay, if something happens at center, 175 00:07:34,040 --> 00:07:36,120 Speaker 1: is that next player that comes in the game, does 176 00:07:36,160 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 1: he go to center or do you take the right 177 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,360 Speaker 1: or left guard, move him to center and take the 178 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:41,440 Speaker 1: other the seventh lineman and put him at guard. So 179 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:44,680 Speaker 1: and you have to practice all those different scenarios, and 180 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: some players can handle that better than others. Some players 181 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:50,000 Speaker 1: are center only, some players are guard only. Some players 182 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: can play three positions. I would say, going back to 183 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:54,760 Speaker 1: our time in New England that Dan Conley is a 184 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,120 Speaker 1: good example of a player played left tackle at Southeast 185 00:07:57,120 --> 00:08:00,360 Speaker 1: Missouri State with six three, three hundred ten pounds one drafted, 186 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: was on a practice squad for out of three or 187 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,160 Speaker 1: four years. He was on a practice guad in Jacksonville. 188 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,400 Speaker 1: We brought in New England, put him on the practice squad, 189 00:08:06,760 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: and he ended up starting at all three inside positions 190 00:08:09,640 --> 00:08:12,320 Speaker 1: at some point, you know, because of the circumstance. So 191 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,160 Speaker 1: can every player do that, not necessarily, but there's a 192 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,840 Speaker 1: certain mental attitude that has to go along with playing 193 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:19,640 Speaker 1: those spots, and then you have to have the physical 194 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: attributes as well to be able to play those those 195 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 1: all three positions. Not all inside players can play all 196 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 1: three positions. Some can, I would say, David Andrews center only. 197 00:08:28,240 --> 00:08:31,679 Speaker 1: Jimmy Morrisey probably a center only. Justin britt He's played 198 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:34,480 Speaker 1: anywhere from tackle to guard a center over the course 199 00:08:34,480 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: of his career. Started the season here with us at center. 200 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: So really you just have to look at the player, 201 00:08:40,160 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: understand his strengths, understand his weaknesses, what can he handle mentally? 202 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:46,920 Speaker 1: And really some players, look we just mentioned earlier, can 203 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: handle the versatility moving back and forth better than others. 204 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: Dan Connelly kickoff return or two so that two yard 205 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:56,720 Speaker 1: or eighty one yard or whatever it was, they would 206 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:58,280 Speaker 1: say one of the greatest big man moments in the 207 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:00,680 Speaker 1: history of the NFL at that point, like you mentioned 208 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:02,680 Speaker 1: the practice squad, talk about Dan Colleen and they hit me. 209 00:09:03,640 --> 00:09:05,559 Speaker 1: And when Dan was on your practice squad, the practice 210 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: squad was eight to ten play something like that, and 211 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: now it's I think it feels like just with the 212 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: practice squad that the sixteen guys can all maybe have 213 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,199 Speaker 1: a different mission. Maybe there are a couple of them 214 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: that you're like, hey man, we want to get to 215 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,080 Speaker 1: skype the speed so we can eventually bring him up 216 00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: to the fifty three. This guy we feel like we 217 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 1: need to work with. We'd like what we see. He's 218 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,319 Speaker 1: not ready, but if we work with him for a while, 219 00:09:28,559 --> 00:09:30,719 Speaker 1: bring him back next year, he's got an opportunity to 220 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:32,320 Speaker 1: get on the fifty three man roster. It feels like 221 00:09:32,320 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: the practice squad has got a lot of different applications, 222 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,200 Speaker 1: if you will, in different kind of missions for the 223 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,040 Speaker 1: guys on there is that? Is that a decent way 224 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:43,559 Speaker 1: of looking at it? I think the big thing philosophically, 225 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,080 Speaker 1: what's your mindset when it comes to the practice squad. 226 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 1: Some teams say, okay, our practice squads are practice squad 227 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:50,240 Speaker 1: and therese are players that are just going to be 228 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:52,800 Speaker 1: here to help us practice. And when you look at 229 00:09:52,800 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: the roster construction, you have to figure out how do 230 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,680 Speaker 1: we get these players A on a roster B in 231 00:09:57,720 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: the building. So there's a multitude of ways to do that. 232 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,680 Speaker 1: So if you want to carry your depth on the roster, 233 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:04,160 Speaker 1: you carried on the roster. If you get the player 234 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:05,880 Speaker 1: to the fiftye man roster, and then so be it. 235 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:08,040 Speaker 1: It's you have a little bit more flexibility. I think 236 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:09,520 Speaker 1: what you've seen over the last couple of years with 237 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: a number of veteran players who have six, seven, eight 238 00:10:12,559 --> 00:10:15,959 Speaker 1: years of experience, who they're not on a roster, they 239 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:17,960 Speaker 1: have an opportunity to go to a practice squad and 240 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:19,920 Speaker 1: then ultimately they have a chance to get elevated at 241 00:10:19,960 --> 00:10:22,360 Speaker 1: least for two games. So it just gives you more flexibility. 242 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: So you have to really be more open minded and 243 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 1: really you have to make sure those practice squad players. 244 00:10:27,559 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: And I think Rabel said this, you know a couple 245 00:10:29,120 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: of times, you know, last week or leading up to 246 00:10:31,480 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: our game. The philosophy is each Wednesday, like that player, 247 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: whoever you are, has to have an understanding he has 248 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 1: an opportunity to play on Sunday. I mean Jonathan Owens, 249 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:42,560 Speaker 1: you know, on practice squad practice all week. At the 250 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: end of the week, you know we made a change, 251 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 1: so then he was going to be active for the game. 252 00:10:46,080 --> 00:10:48,320 Speaker 1: So you have to approach it as if you're going 253 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:50,840 Speaker 1: to play, so you're in every meeting, you're at every practice. 254 00:10:51,240 --> 00:10:53,760 Speaker 1: If you have the right mindset and approach to prepare 255 00:10:53,800 --> 00:10:55,920 Speaker 1: yourself accordingly. If you get to the end of the 256 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: week and have to make a change, then you're prepared. 257 00:10:57,960 --> 00:10:59,360 Speaker 1: If you just say all, I'm on a practice squad, 258 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: I'm not going to play, and all of a sudden 259 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,360 Speaker 1: something happens on Saturday and you're not prepared, well, I'd 260 00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 1: say you're putting the team at a disadvantage. And you 261 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 1: know that's not anywhere that we want to be. You 262 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 1: like these roles better than it was ten years ago, though, 263 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:12,480 Speaker 1: don't you. I mean, because now you've over seventy guys. 264 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: You talk about IR, the flexibility of IR and everything 265 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 1: leading into that. Yeah, you really have to think it through. 266 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 1: You have to have a lot of dialogue and you 267 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: just have to take the information. And I think the 268 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: one thing I think that we all have learned being 269 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:26,600 Speaker 1: in the NFL. Things are very fluid, so things happen quickly, 270 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:29,680 Speaker 1: So you just have to be ready to think, adjust, adapt, 271 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:32,720 Speaker 1: assess the information, make a decision, and just move forward. 272 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 1: Like we can't be you know, all upset if we 273 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:36,560 Speaker 1: lose a guy, this guy gets hurt. We don't have 274 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:39,840 Speaker 1: this guy. Okay, it's about fixing problems, finding solutions. So 275 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: what's the solution. Here's our next options. I'd say we 276 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 1: were having these discussions here this week. We had some 277 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 1: things that came up during a game, which every team does. 278 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,280 Speaker 1: So all right, what are we going to do about it? 279 00:11:48,320 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 1: Let's talk about it early in the week. Let's practice 280 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,240 Speaker 1: this way so when we get the end of the week, 281 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:54,680 Speaker 1: then we can make the transition and be prepared to 282 00:11:54,679 --> 00:11:57,959 Speaker 1: play on Sunday. All right, Nick hard knocks, is an indie? 283 00:11:58,280 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 1: Would you? No, don't answer a question. It is indie 284 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:04,040 Speaker 1: this week. You played him in week six that it 285 00:12:04,080 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 1: doesn't feel like a long time ago, But in football land, 286 00:12:07,960 --> 00:12:10,320 Speaker 1: that's seven weeks. That's a long time. Last year we 287 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: played the Colts, we played them in week thirteen, Week 288 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,160 Speaker 1: fifteen or fourteen sixty were like two weeks apart. There 289 00:12:15,280 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: was no difference. Do you gain anything by having played 290 00:12:18,679 --> 00:12:21,160 Speaker 1: them once? Like when you face a division team twice 291 00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: in a year, that's second game. I don't think it 292 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: changes the preparation or does it? How do you look 293 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:28,040 Speaker 1: at the second game you play a divisional play. It 294 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 1: depends on the timing. We'll talk about Indie specific because 295 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 1: if you look at Jackson, we played them week one, 296 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,079 Speaker 1: then you're playing week seventeen. It's like playing two different games. 297 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 1: So in Indie's case, so they're five and two since 298 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,480 Speaker 1: we played them last, say, they're playing probably arguably as 299 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: good as any team in the league. So they've won 300 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 1: on the road. They've basically been in every game, being 301 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 1: competitive in any game, even the game on Sunday. I 302 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: mean it came down to the last possession at a 303 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:50,000 Speaker 1: score or Tampa scores at twenty four seconds left and 304 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,439 Speaker 1: Rogers almost returns to kickoff return for a touchdown and 305 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:53,840 Speaker 1: they have one play at the shot of the end zone. 306 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:56,560 Speaker 1: So but they're playing really well. When you look at 307 00:12:56,600 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 1: their team, they lead the league in turnover margins, so 308 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,160 Speaker 1: they've forced the motion turnovers in the league. They forced 309 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:03,760 Speaker 1: twenty seven turnovers in their turnover margin, they're they're first 310 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,760 Speaker 1: in the league. So they don't turn it over offensively, 311 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:07,480 Speaker 1: which is a credit to Carson. I think he needs 312 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:10,600 Speaker 1: like four or five interceptions, but his touchdown interception ratio 313 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,560 Speaker 1: is very low. So they turn you over on defense. 314 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,200 Speaker 1: They don't turn the ball over. Offensively, they have one 315 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: of the best running games in the league. They have 316 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:20,160 Speaker 1: one of one of the best players, you know, I 317 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:24,200 Speaker 1: think Jonathan Taylor leads the league in scrimmage yards. They 318 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,559 Speaker 1: they're first in the league and yards on first down. 319 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:28,640 Speaker 1: They average over six yards on first down, so they're 320 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 1: good on first down. They're a good running team. They 321 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:32,760 Speaker 1: don't turn the ball over, and then defensively, they turn 322 00:13:32,800 --> 00:13:35,120 Speaker 1: the ball over and they make you drive the football, 323 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 1: and they present some challenges and I think they're in 324 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,120 Speaker 1: the top five and offensive drive starts, so their kickoff 325 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,800 Speaker 1: return unit puts them in a position, so they pose 326 00:13:43,840 --> 00:13:46,440 Speaker 1: a lot of challenges. They're playing well offensively, they're playing 327 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,040 Speaker 1: well defensively, and they have a really good, solid core 328 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: group of players in a kicking game, and Bubba does 329 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:54,080 Speaker 1: a good job and Badgeley's come in and kind of 330 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:56,800 Speaker 1: solidify the kicking situation, you know, when they had some 331 00:13:56,920 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: ups and downs here, you know, with Rodrigo and some 332 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 1: other guys going on. But so they pose a lot 333 00:14:01,360 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: of challenges, like, you know, we're gonna have to play well, 334 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:05,560 Speaker 1: We're gonna have to play better than we did Week six, 335 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,880 Speaker 1: and Indie, um, you know otherwise it will be the 336 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 1: same result. Well, you had a very close game going there. 337 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,040 Speaker 1: At the half it was ten to three. You were 338 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:15,240 Speaker 1: hanging in there with him, and I know the pick 339 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: led to another score and it kind of snowballed from there. 340 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: But what does that do for you to know that, hey, 341 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: we can play with them, We just have to get 342 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:25,359 Speaker 1: over the hump here. Yeah, it comes down to execution. 343 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 1: So we actually offensively moved the ball at different points. 344 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:30,200 Speaker 1: You know, we were able to complete some passes. I mean, 345 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 1: Davis played well in the game. We played decent on 346 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:36,240 Speaker 1: third down. Unfortunately, you know where we came up shore, 347 00:14:36,320 --> 00:14:38,200 Speaker 1: we gave up multiple big plays. I mean they ran 348 00:14:38,280 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: forty eight plays and they scored thirty one points, so 349 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:42,320 Speaker 1: they had multiple big plays. They had the big play 350 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 1: run the tailors, I mean he ran for they ran 351 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: for one hundred and seventy five yards. So it was 352 00:14:47,680 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: a small window. But again it goes like that we 353 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:51,760 Speaker 1: talked about earlier. There was six or eight plays in 354 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: that game that ultimately determined the outcome. So, you know, 355 00:14:54,960 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 1: can we play better? Absolutely? Do we play decent at 356 00:14:57,840 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: times in that game? Yeah, but nobody really Hair isn't 357 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:02,400 Speaker 1: doesn't really matter. It's going to come down our execution 358 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:05,200 Speaker 1: on Sunday and how well we play, you know, collectively 359 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: as a team. The old saying is that statistics are 360 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: for geeks, losers and fantasy players. And yeah, you mentioned 361 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:17,000 Speaker 1: something about you mentioned all those different numbers and they 362 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:19,880 Speaker 1: were all as you're hitting me, like, whoa, What's what's 363 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: the most important one that you want to see? First 364 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:23,240 Speaker 1: of all, when you say, okay, we've got the Colts 365 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:24,720 Speaker 1: this week, and you kind of sit down and you 366 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: look at the numbers, what's the first one you look at? 367 00:15:27,520 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 1: Is turnover margin a big one? What's the first one 368 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 1: you look at? Yeah, I would say turnovers in a 369 00:15:31,240 --> 00:15:34,200 Speaker 1: running game. So when you look at those three particular areas, 370 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: so again they forced twenty seven turnovers. So off taking 371 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: care of the ball offensively is paramount. It's absolutely important. 372 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:43,600 Speaker 1: And when you look at Leonard, I would say, as 373 00:15:43,600 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 1: good as any player in the league at knocking the 374 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: ball off of whomever it is. He did in our game, 375 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: so I think he's forced five or six fumbles. Puts 376 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:52,560 Speaker 1: a lot of pressure on the ball. So we have 377 00:15:52,600 --> 00:15:55,600 Speaker 1: to take care of the football. And then defensively, Houston 378 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: Texas defense we have to handle a running game. They 379 00:15:57,800 --> 00:15:59,520 Speaker 1: have one of the best running games in the league, 380 00:15:59,520 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: so up in a run or making them have a 381 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: lot of runs and not giving up the big runs 382 00:16:04,800 --> 00:16:07,880 Speaker 1: and taking care of the ball offensively and then creating enough. 383 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: I would say production on first down, like first down 384 00:16:11,160 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 1: production will be important because, like we talked about, they 385 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 1: lead the league in first down production. So defensively, we 386 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 1: got to take care of first down. We got to 387 00:16:17,880 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: stop the run. Offensively, got to be good on first down, 388 00:16:20,320 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 1: and we have to take care of the ball offensively. 389 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,000 Speaker 1: How hard is it to evaluate some of the rookie 390 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:29,600 Speaker 1: playmakers like Brevin Jordan Nico Collins. I don't want to 391 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:31,320 Speaker 1: get into the guys on defense, but let's start with 392 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: those two, with the reps they've gotten so far and 393 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 1: what you're seeing here as you get into year two 394 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: with those players, and then assessed how you want to 395 00:16:39,880 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: deal with the roster in the offseason. I know you're 396 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:44,240 Speaker 1: not thinking about those two things necessarily at the same time, 397 00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: but what can you tell us about that? Nick With 398 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,640 Speaker 1: any young player, you look at the totality of where 399 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:51,960 Speaker 1: do they start. Okay, where are they currently understanding? If 400 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:54,560 Speaker 1: they have probably a longer runway as anybody in front 401 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,480 Speaker 1: of them. So specific to those two players, and I 402 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 1: wouldn't even include Davis as well. From where they started 403 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,280 Speaker 1: to where they are now, they've all made improvements, they've 404 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: all made progress. I'd say, they're in better condition. They've 405 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 1: actually gotten stronger, so you're able to see their strength, 406 00:17:08,560 --> 00:17:10,879 Speaker 1: their explosiveness, their power, the things that they're doing in 407 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 1: the weight room have actually all improved. Their practice performance 408 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,400 Speaker 1: has been better and more consistent, and that's translated over 409 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:21,040 Speaker 1: into some cases into tangible production on Sundays. So what 410 00:17:21,080 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: you're really looking for in any young player, I would say, 411 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:27,119 Speaker 1: not just young players, but young players specifically, is improvement, 412 00:17:27,119 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 1: their level of improvement, and over the course of however 413 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 1: many weeks and however many months, some make it quicker 414 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:35,320 Speaker 1: than others. Maybe it takes a year, and maybe you 415 00:17:35,320 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 1: see more improvement in the second year as opposed to, 416 00:17:38,800 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 1: you know, the first year. But in those particular players, 417 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: they've made progress. They've taken advantage of their opportunities that 418 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:46,720 Speaker 1: they've been given at different points and including I know 419 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 1: you mentioned that just offensively for now, but when you 420 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,120 Speaker 1: look at Lopez, he's made a lot of improvements from 421 00:17:52,160 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: where he started to you know, where he is now. 422 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:56,760 Speaker 1: And same thing of Wallow in the kicking game. I 423 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 1: mean they think in the early on in a year, Garrett, 424 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: you know, was just okay in a kicking game. But 425 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: he's worked, he's made some progress. So really that's what 426 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:05,960 Speaker 1: you want to see with young players, and you want 427 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: to see as your team is just improvement from where 428 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 1: they start to where they are now, and you want 429 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:12,080 Speaker 1: to continue that arc of improvement all the way through 430 00:18:12,119 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 1: the duration at the end of the year. Really, if 431 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,760 Speaker 1: we continually focused on improvement, the results will take care 432 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 1: of itself. We can't get too caught up enough, but 433 00:18:20,760 --> 00:18:22,720 Speaker 1: you want to see your team make progress and see 434 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:25,880 Speaker 1: tangible improvements, and certainly some players have done that more 435 00:18:25,880 --> 00:18:28,199 Speaker 1: so than others. Nick, because we start thinking about the 436 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,480 Speaker 1: next rookie class. You got a Senior Bowl coming up, 437 00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: Shrine Bowl, MVLPA. We're probably talked about this a little bit. 438 00:18:32,760 --> 00:18:35,679 Speaker 1: But as we approach those obviously invites are going out. 439 00:18:35,760 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 1: Jim's doing a heck of a job to senior all 440 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: those guys. I'm just putting it out there like these 441 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,120 Speaker 1: guys are coming, this is gonna be cool, and so 442 00:18:44,160 --> 00:18:48,320 Speaker 1: I know it feels like there's much more emphasis put 443 00:18:48,320 --> 00:18:50,919 Speaker 1: on it than maybe it ever has been. Has that 444 00:18:51,040 --> 00:18:53,200 Speaker 1: changed for you guys? Is the emphasis more or less 445 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:56,520 Speaker 1: from what it's been in evaluating those All Star game situations? Yeah, 446 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 1: I think it's more. It is made of it externally. 447 00:18:58,680 --> 00:19:01,680 Speaker 1: So really like we're in a good spot as a staff. 448 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 1: So we've spent August to this point. You know, we're 449 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:06,960 Speaker 1: essentially all the road scouts are off the road. I 450 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 1: mean there's a few college games that are left. You 451 00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,439 Speaker 1: have the conference championship games this weekend. But we have 452 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,880 Speaker 1: a i'd say voluminous amount of information that's come into 453 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 1: our database, and that's come to me specifically. I've probably 454 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:20,720 Speaker 1: seen more players and studied more players this year than 455 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:22,520 Speaker 1: I have at any point. So a lot of that 456 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,679 Speaker 1: is just in preparation for the off season, in conjunction 457 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:27,800 Speaker 1: with what we're doing on a week to week basis, 458 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:31,120 Speaker 1: preparing for our opponent on our team. So I'd say externally, 459 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,320 Speaker 1: a lot more is made of it. It's not about 460 00:19:33,440 --> 00:19:35,879 Speaker 1: one draft, it's not about one player, it's not about 461 00:19:35,960 --> 00:19:39,920 Speaker 1: one specific position. Really, it's about understanding the players, understanding 462 00:19:39,920 --> 00:19:41,800 Speaker 1: who's going to be available. We haven't even had the 463 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: declarations of the underclassroom yet. So that's a whole separate 464 00:19:44,760 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 1: pool of players that we're going to find out in 465 00:19:46,960 --> 00:19:50,199 Speaker 1: mid January, mid February, you know, and a January. So 466 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: the most important thing for us is to go through 467 00:19:52,840 --> 00:19:55,359 Speaker 1: our process, take the information. You know, we're gonna have 468 00:19:55,400 --> 00:19:57,159 Speaker 1: our first set of draft meetings here coming up in 469 00:19:57,200 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks, so kind of start the initial discussions, 470 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:01,959 Speaker 1: and those are more of what else do we need 471 00:20:02,000 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: to know? You know, Okay, this player maybe has a 472 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:06,920 Speaker 1: few more question markston this player, this player as clean 473 00:20:06,960 --> 00:20:09,040 Speaker 1: as a whistle. All right, let's put him over here. 474 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: Just make sure we're going to be evaluation what do 475 00:20:11,440 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 1: we need to figure out between now and April on 476 00:20:13,920 --> 00:20:16,480 Speaker 1: this other subset of players. So that's will re allocate 477 00:20:16,520 --> 00:20:18,679 Speaker 1: our time and resource, so we'll have plenty of time 478 00:20:18,720 --> 00:20:20,280 Speaker 1: to get ready for the draft. But I would say, 479 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 1: just from a calendar standpoint, we're in a pretty good spot, 480 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:25,960 Speaker 1: and I wouldn't put too much emphasis on the Senior 481 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 1: Bowl or just one particular event. I'll bring the coffee 482 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:30,480 Speaker 1: and the donuts to the draft meeting, Nick, I'll just 483 00:20:30,480 --> 00:20:32,720 Speaker 1: sit in the back. You won't even know this made're 484 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:34,879 Speaker 1: actually gonna have to zoom him just because of the 485 00:20:35,240 --> 00:20:37,960 Speaker 1: pro but that's okay. Well, if you can help me 486 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:40,200 Speaker 1: do my homework. Here we have Rex Burkhead on the 487 00:20:40,200 --> 00:20:42,600 Speaker 1: Players Show, and if you can give me a Rex 488 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,240 Speaker 1: Burkehead thought or story, I know you're familiar with him 489 00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:48,080 Speaker 1: from two organizations, so you let me know if you can. Yeah, 490 00:20:48,119 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: I give a couple of things Rex has been. He's 491 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:55,480 Speaker 1: an incredible teammate and as selfless a players that I've 492 00:20:55,520 --> 00:20:58,800 Speaker 1: been around. And it's interesting when you go back. So 493 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:02,320 Speaker 1: rec was a pretty player in Nebraska. So and you 494 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:04,199 Speaker 1: can guys compirely bust his chops about that. But I 495 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:06,160 Speaker 1: think when he came out he ran like four seven 496 00:21:06,240 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 1: one or four seven. He didn't run a good time. 497 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:12,480 Speaker 1: And then when we got him in New England, you know, 498 00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:15,119 Speaker 1: now he hadn't played very much. In Cincinnati. He played 499 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 1: very minimally offensively but had a role in the kicking game. 500 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:20,760 Speaker 1: But we hit airmarked him kind of as a backup 501 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,200 Speaker 1: kicking game player with some role offensively, and that's essentially 502 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:25,760 Speaker 1: what he was. But when when he got there, you're 503 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:27,720 Speaker 1: watching this guy move around and run and work out 504 00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:30,320 Speaker 1: and go and wait a minute, Like this guy's faster 505 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: than four seven. So I'd say this is a good 506 00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,480 Speaker 1: example of a player time speed and game speed. Like 507 00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:37,760 Speaker 1: when you watch Rex play, you don't sit there and 508 00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,640 Speaker 1: go he's slow. I mean maybe some people do, but 509 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: I certainly don't. So but he made immeasurable contributions to 510 00:21:45,040 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: our locker room. One of the best teammates we have 511 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:48,920 Speaker 1: as selfless did whatever he has to do, and he 512 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:51,800 Speaker 1: practices as hard as any player that we have on 513 00:21:51,800 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: our team here currently. Like you know, we have all 514 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: the GPS and the data, and his loads and his 515 00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: measurements are as high as any player on the team 516 00:21:59,000 --> 00:22:01,040 Speaker 1: on a week to week basis. It shows his effort, 517 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,040 Speaker 1: his attitude, the way he works, and the way he prepares. 518 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:06,480 Speaker 1: And you know, he's gone out there and he's made 519 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,160 Speaker 1: some plays to help us, you know, to help us win. 520 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: And he's has a very charitable part of his you know, 521 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 1: his don't his foundation is a very Saint Jack's you know, 522 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:16,520 Speaker 1: kids or whatever. I don't know the exact name of it, 523 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,840 Speaker 1: but that's it means a lot to him and he 524 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 1: cares a lot about that, and it kind of speaks 525 00:22:20,480 --> 00:22:22,639 Speaker 1: to who he is as a person. It's interesting. He 526 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: was in high school. They thought he was gonna be 527 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 1: a linebacker, and I look at him and think, well, 528 00:22:26,880 --> 00:22:28,720 Speaker 1: he could have been a good linebacker Nebraska been a 529 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: good linebacker throughout his career, which goes back kind of 530 00:22:31,560 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: the question of forecasting. I know that one's a lot 531 00:22:34,359 --> 00:22:36,480 Speaker 1: harder when you look at a guy and think, wait 532 00:22:36,480 --> 00:22:39,800 Speaker 1: a second, he's a running back here, but yeah, maybe 533 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:41,359 Speaker 1: he could play, Maybe he could go to the other 534 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 1: side of the all play defense, play lineback. I know 535 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:46,280 Speaker 1: that one's tough, but it's it's a lot of this 536 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:48,880 Speaker 1: is what is the player's mindset and his will I'm 537 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: saying if there's certain players, if you ask them, hey, 538 00:22:51,119 --> 00:22:53,159 Speaker 1: we're gonna actually have you do this, because again, a 539 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,199 Speaker 1: running back plane in a kicking game, he might as 540 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:56,800 Speaker 1: well be a linebacker. So if you were to just 541 00:22:56,840 --> 00:22:58,720 Speaker 1: take the position off, when you look at the roles 542 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,920 Speaker 1: personal protector on a punt team, slot on a punt team, 543 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:07,000 Speaker 1: playing on kickoff coverage, running back linebacker, like, it might 544 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,040 Speaker 1: as well be the same. So it comes back down 545 00:23:09,040 --> 00:23:11,360 Speaker 1: to a mindset, and we've had I would say my 546 00:23:11,400 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: experience and our experience, this is really more of a 547 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: credit to Bill and his vision that when we were 548 00:23:15,800 --> 00:23:18,600 Speaker 1: in New England, we took Troy Brown, who was our 549 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,879 Speaker 1: best offensive player slot receiver and played him at slot 550 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 1: corner for a period of time. And then we did 551 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 1: the same thing. I want to say it was in 552 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:27,280 Speaker 1: two thou eleven when Julian so Julian first of all 553 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 1: didn't play He never played receiver, and in college he 554 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: was an athletic quarterback, transition to play receiver punt returner. 555 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:37,199 Speaker 1: And then this is how many years is that? It 556 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,160 Speaker 1: was like three four years into his career. Every many 557 00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: years it was in the AFC Championship game, he's playing 558 00:23:42,040 --> 00:23:45,159 Speaker 1: slot corner against the Baltimore Ravens and the the most critical situations. 559 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 1: So does it mean like he's a slot corner. No, 560 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 1: but it was well, our team was decimated, we didn't 561 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:54,439 Speaker 1: have anybody available, and he was willing to accept the 562 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:56,359 Speaker 1: challenge of going back to what kind of you we're 563 00:23:56,359 --> 00:23:58,359 Speaker 1: talking about, Birkehead, like if you were go to that player. 564 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 1: They were willing to accept the challenge if you know what, 565 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:02,239 Speaker 1: whatever I need to do to help the team, I'm 566 00:24:02,280 --> 00:24:04,800 Speaker 1: gonna go play slot corner. And he actually ended up 567 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: breaking up a pass on Bolden and like on second 568 00:24:07,040 --> 00:24:08,720 Speaker 1: or third down, and they had the ball in a 569 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,959 Speaker 1: red area. So this all goes back to mindset and 570 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:14,399 Speaker 1: the attitude of the player, which I think part of 571 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 1: our responsibility is to bring as many players in the 572 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,320 Speaker 1: building that have that type of mindset and whatever position 573 00:24:20,400 --> 00:24:23,200 Speaker 1: they play, whether it's guard to tackle, whether it's running 574 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:25,240 Speaker 1: back to linebacker, whether it's running back in the kicking game, 575 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,320 Speaker 1: then we'll kind of have to put that all together 576 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:28,960 Speaker 1: and then put the team out there. So how much 577 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,520 Speaker 1: of that valuation of that dude's a football player comes 578 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,080 Speaker 1: into it? I mean, I know it sounds kind of hockey, 579 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 1: but how much does that sort of come into it? 580 00:24:35,520 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: Like this dude's a gamer. You here that all the time. 581 00:24:37,359 --> 00:24:39,879 Speaker 1: He's a gamer, he's a football player. Is that is 582 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: that factory in? Yeah? I would say just if you're 583 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: asking the Houston Texans organization our philosophy, like we care. 584 00:24:45,680 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: I care more about it. Is a guy good football 585 00:24:47,480 --> 00:24:48,800 Speaker 1: player or not? Like we can get in all the 586 00:24:48,800 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: measurables and how tall he isn't, how along his arms 587 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:53,240 Speaker 1: are and all that, but is a guy good football 588 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:55,600 Speaker 1: player or not? Okay, we'll figure out what to do 589 00:24:55,680 --> 00:24:57,119 Speaker 1: with him and put him in the best position to 590 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:59,399 Speaker 1: maximize his ability, and then you look at some of 591 00:24:59,400 --> 00:25:01,119 Speaker 1: the other act beach that go along with it. But 592 00:25:01,359 --> 00:25:03,280 Speaker 1: to your question, John, I would say, if the guy's 593 00:25:03,280 --> 00:25:05,400 Speaker 1: a football player, and he's a football player, and we'll 594 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:08,680 Speaker 1: figure out what to do with him. I absolutely loved 595 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:11,959 Speaker 1: that answer from Nick Cassario. All Right, we get back. 596 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:15,840 Speaker 1: Let's get a little in the Lab with Drew and 597 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 1: myself next right here in Texas Axis boxss boxss boxss. 598 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:24,880 Speaker 1: We're back this Wednesday issue of Texans All Access from 599 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:27,960 Speaker 1: Monday Texans Radio Studio. I am John Harris, your host 600 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: football and a sideline reporter and one half of the 601 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:35,199 Speaker 1: in the Lab duo of Drew Dorry and John Harris. 602 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 1: So I'm glad to be with you. And speaking of 603 00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:40,360 Speaker 1: in the lab, Drew and I went in the lab 604 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: for this week's podcast. We talked about the goals for 605 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 1: this football team for the remainder of the season, the 606 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:52,440 Speaker 1: last six games. But we started off on a little 607 00:25:52,440 --> 00:25:58,240 Speaker 1: bit of an LSU tangent because Drew mentioned Leonard Fournette 608 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,560 Speaker 1: and well, that guy is thinking about LU playing potentially 609 00:26:01,920 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 1: in the Texas Bowl. Drew, let's go if you've never 610 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:10,920 Speaker 1: been to NRG Stadium, when LSU plays here and or 611 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:15,880 Speaker 1: when Mexico plays a soccer game here, change what you're 612 00:26:15,920 --> 00:26:18,800 Speaker 1: doing and trust will just come if you can. It's awesome. 613 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:21,400 Speaker 1: It's a different place when those two teams are here. 614 00:26:21,400 --> 00:26:25,600 Speaker 1: It's a it's an awesome environment, very cool environment. I 615 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 1: love it when the Tigers are here. I went to SMU. 616 00:26:28,080 --> 00:26:30,200 Speaker 1: I don't have a dog in this fight. Yeah. I 617 00:26:30,359 --> 00:26:33,920 Speaker 1: love when LSU plays in this building. Please come back 618 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,640 Speaker 1: if you can, Tigers, we love having you here. If 619 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:40,080 Speaker 1: the Mexican national soccer team could play against the LSU 620 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:42,360 Speaker 1: football team in some way, shape or form in some 621 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,159 Speaker 1: game off, oh it would. It would. They would have 622 00:26:46,160 --> 00:26:48,760 Speaker 1: to take top off and put additional seats, and those 623 00:26:48,760 --> 00:26:51,360 Speaker 1: two fan bases would buy additional seats. Hey, we're gonna 624 00:26:51,359 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 1: have to put you in the ninth level. Yeah, where's that. Well, 625 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:56,960 Speaker 1: we've pulled the roof back and we've put a ninth 626 00:26:57,000 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: level on top of Fine. I mean, but you're right, 627 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,280 Speaker 1: and LSU was the one that when LSU b D 628 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:05,160 Speaker 1: A and M, which the way the game was going, 629 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,000 Speaker 1: should not have happened at the end. But you know, bad, 630 00:27:08,080 --> 00:27:11,280 Speaker 1: a bad scheme call get you a bad position and 631 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,359 Speaker 1: LSU gotta win, and good for them. It won't be 632 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:18,120 Speaker 1: at ours run in the game, but LSU always delivers. 633 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:20,879 Speaker 1: And look on the other side of could be Iowa State, 634 00:27:21,000 --> 00:27:23,440 Speaker 1: it could be Kansas State. You have a lot of purple, 635 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: and those two fan bases, I would stayed Io Was 636 00:27:26,160 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 1: State has not been in this game, well I can't 637 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:31,400 Speaker 1: remember if they've They've not been in the Texas ball 638 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,040 Speaker 1: as it's designed now and I don't think ever, but 639 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 1: I would stay Kansas State. Both those fan bases will travel, 640 00:27:36,720 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 1: and I would imagine no matter how the season is going, 641 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:40,040 Speaker 1: they're gonna travel and be there in Soil s U. 642 00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: So I'm hoping for two of those teams to match 643 00:27:44,680 --> 00:27:47,919 Speaker 1: up in that bowl game, and that would be That 644 00:27:47,960 --> 00:27:50,919 Speaker 1: would be pretty pretty darn fun for sure. Yeah, I 645 00:27:51,040 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: love love when LSU comes to town. They do this 646 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 1: thing after a kickoff excuse me, after a touchdown when 647 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:00,000 Speaker 1: they're about to kick off and they play the Guard 648 00:28:00,160 --> 00:28:03,160 Speaker 1: Brooks song Colin Baton Rouge and they've got their video 649 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:06,960 Speaker 1: and it's yeah, yeah, it's a it's a cool moment, man, 650 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:09,879 Speaker 1: like the whole talent, who whole stadium sings along and 651 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 1: there was a guy on the kickoff coverage team, you know, 652 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:17,560 Speaker 1: he was standing like pretending that, you know, conduct the music. 653 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:19,359 Speaker 1: It was. It was awesome the times that they've done 654 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:23,200 Speaker 1: it here. So anyhow, let's talk a little bit about 655 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:27,119 Speaker 1: goals for the final six games. For the first time 656 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: since two thousand and five, two thousand and six, the 657 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:35,720 Speaker 1: Texans will have consecutive losing seasons. Rewind that. Think about that, 658 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:41,479 Speaker 1: consecutive losings, back to back losing seasons. Now, it's been 659 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 1: ugly this year, it was ugly last year. But there's 660 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,160 Speaker 1: been a little a section of folks that think, wow, 661 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,880 Speaker 1: they're always losers, you know that fret and yeah, they've 662 00:28:50,880 --> 00:28:53,520 Speaker 1: never won the Super Bowl, but they're not always losers. 663 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: They've been in the playoffs quite a bit over the 664 00:28:56,160 --> 00:28:57,920 Speaker 1: last decade. Now, those those days are in the review 665 00:28:57,920 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: mirror right now. But for the first time since the 666 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:06,840 Speaker 1: second Bush administration, the Texans have consecutive losing seasons. That's weird. 667 00:29:07,120 --> 00:29:09,560 Speaker 1: So what's what's left for this year? What do you 668 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:12,840 Speaker 1: want to accomplish? What do you want to do? You 669 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,320 Speaker 1: and I are going to discuss that. My main goal 670 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,920 Speaker 1: is to see what you got out of the guys 671 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:25,200 Speaker 1: like Jimmy Morrissey, Nico Collins, Brevin Jordan, not in any particular, 672 00:29:25,280 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 1: or Brevin Jordan, Jonathan Grenard, keep that going, Roy Lopez, 673 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:32,640 Speaker 1: the young guys who are under contract who are gonna 674 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 1: be around next year. And Morrisey's not under contract, but 675 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:37,880 Speaker 1: he's exclusive rights and you kind of can control where 676 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: he goes. But guys who are certainly going to be 677 00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 1: back next year, who have promise and shown promise, and 678 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,440 Speaker 1: let's let's let them get some reps and see what 679 00:29:47,480 --> 00:29:50,360 Speaker 1: they got and continue to learn, continue to build, continue 680 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:52,760 Speaker 1: to get better so they can be building blocks for 681 00:29:52,800 --> 00:29:55,480 Speaker 1: the future around here. Because I've been with each of 682 00:29:55,520 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: those cases, I've been very very happy with some stuff 683 00:29:58,240 --> 00:30:00,280 Speaker 1: that I've seen. I want to see more, obviously because 684 00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: they're still in the early stages of their career. But 685 00:30:03,440 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: it's very promising with that crew, and you need another 686 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:09,400 Speaker 1: great draft to add to it, you know, you need 687 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: to keep layering on these young players that that can 688 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:15,479 Speaker 1: come on in here and make big contributions. You know, 689 00:30:15,640 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: And I think last year and in the year before, 690 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:20,440 Speaker 1: you didn't get to see too much from your rookies 691 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:23,880 Speaker 1: by and large, that wasn't the case this year. You've 692 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: seen a lot from your rookie draft class. You've seen 693 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:28,120 Speaker 1: a lot from you know, guys like Morrissey who came 694 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 1: in as an undrafted free agent um who had been 695 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:33,520 Speaker 1: with another team, not undrafted free age. He was a 696 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:36,440 Speaker 1: seventh rounder with Las Vegas Raiders, but he wasn't a 697 00:30:36,440 --> 00:30:38,040 Speaker 1: part of your team at the start of the season. 698 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 1: Let's let's keep that going because you got a layer 699 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 1: on the talent that you can control contract wise for 700 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,080 Speaker 1: the next few years. And I want to see more 701 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:47,880 Speaker 1: of these young guys. What about you, What's what's what's 702 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:52,560 Speaker 1: your goals? Yeah, I mean, obviously the young guys is 703 00:30:52,720 --> 00:30:57,440 Speaker 1: I think first and foremost is understanding. You know, these 704 00:30:57,600 --> 00:30:59,440 Speaker 1: these guys are going to have to be the foundation 705 00:30:59,480 --> 00:31:02,280 Speaker 1: of your quad going forward. You're going to get some 706 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,960 Speaker 1: help in the next draft, next couple of drafts, a 707 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:07,840 Speaker 1: couple of free agent cycles and all that. But these 708 00:31:07,840 --> 00:31:12,560 Speaker 1: guys you mentioned, m Nico, Brevin un gar Wallow Hope 709 00:31:12,560 --> 00:31:15,080 Speaker 1: has has already established himself as one of those guys. 710 00:31:15,120 --> 00:31:18,680 Speaker 1: But seeing those guys get opportunities, and I think when 711 00:31:18,840 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 1: when it comes to opportunity for me at the end 712 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 1: of the year. I always think about Arian Foster. An 713 00:31:23,680 --> 00:31:25,479 Speaker 1: Arian as a rookie in two thousand and nine had 714 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: been around, he was here, he'd been in the building. 715 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:32,000 Speaker 1: Now he'd had one mishap or something happened, but either way, 716 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:36,000 Speaker 1: he was practice squad until yeah, until the last yeah, 717 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: the last few weeks. And then finally he gets the 718 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:43,320 Speaker 1: opportunity to start against the Dolphins and bout a boom, 719 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 1: bought a bang one hundred plus yards and you're like, well, 720 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 1: that's fun. And then does it in the final week 721 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:53,040 Speaker 1: against the Patriots. And I think if and we do 722 00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,160 Speaker 1: this a lot, we redraft drafts, and I don't know 723 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:58,760 Speaker 1: that we've gone and gone back and redrafted two thousand, 724 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:01,400 Speaker 1: two thousand and ten, because I think in the first 725 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:03,200 Speaker 1: round of Texas did get it right with Kareem I 726 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:05,040 Speaker 1: think where they got it wrong was not moving him 727 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 1: to safety earlier. But that's a discussion for a different day. 728 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:09,840 Speaker 1: But the next pick was Ben Tate. And part of 729 00:32:09,840 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: the reason you took Ben Tate was because I don't 730 00:32:12,320 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: think you found out what you had with Arian Foster 731 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,080 Speaker 1: earlier enough. If you had seen Arian for five to 732 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:23,560 Speaker 1: six games and realized, hey, wait a second, we think 733 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: he can be the number one back. Well, then maybe 734 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 1: in two ten, in that second round, maybe you take 735 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:30,960 Speaker 1: a different approach. Maybe you don't have to take a 736 00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: running back as high. Maybe you go a different position. 737 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: And the defense and going into two and ten needed 738 00:32:36,560 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: every single ounce of help it could get. So maybe 739 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:40,600 Speaker 1: you draft a defensive player in the second round there 740 00:32:40,800 --> 00:32:42,480 Speaker 1: and you get a running back a little bit later 741 00:32:42,520 --> 00:32:44,800 Speaker 1: to go with Arian. Now, look, I don't want to 742 00:32:44,800 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 1: take away from what Ben Tap did, but the philosophy 743 00:32:47,120 --> 00:32:49,600 Speaker 1: could have changed if you could have seen Aria. No. Look, 744 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: I mean I understand, you know how things are and 745 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:56,320 Speaker 1: and you know timing doesn't always match up the way 746 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:59,120 Speaker 1: you wanted to. But in in a year also in 747 00:32:59,160 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 1: two thousand and nine, where you still had an opportunity 748 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 1: to get to the playoffs, it wasn't about you're going 749 00:33:04,120 --> 00:33:07,200 Speaker 1: to you're you know, you're in the position Texans were 750 00:33:07,240 --> 00:33:09,600 Speaker 1: I mean at this point two and two and nine, 751 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 1: we are in two thousand and nine, what were we? 752 00:33:12,880 --> 00:33:15,880 Speaker 1: I mean we were so that that was an interesting 753 00:33:16,560 --> 00:33:18,200 Speaker 1: you start your start the season, you go and your 754 00:33:18,240 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 1: buy at five and three, come out of your buy. 755 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: Texans lost four straight to go to five and seven 756 00:33:24,160 --> 00:33:26,160 Speaker 1: and they won their final four to go to ninety 757 00:33:26,240 --> 00:33:27,680 Speaker 1: seven to finish the year. So it was a weird 758 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: they were on the verge of just like really veering 759 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:37,040 Speaker 1: off and getting ugly, but they back. Yeah, and and 760 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:40,520 Speaker 1: so maybe that changes. So as as much as you 761 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:45,520 Speaker 1: can get guys that you believe in, that you believe 762 00:33:45,560 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 1: can be in this foundation, to get them reps at 763 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 1: what you believe they'll do in the future, it's massively important. 764 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:56,560 Speaker 1: And I'll bring up this one as well. I think 765 00:33:57,080 --> 00:34:00,840 Speaker 1: as much as you possibly can figuring out what the 766 00:34:00,920 --> 00:34:04,239 Speaker 1: offensive line is going to look like. And I'm not 767 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:07,280 Speaker 1: saying that you're going to have all five starters in 768 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,400 Speaker 1: the building for twenty twenty two and beyond, but to 769 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,720 Speaker 1: know this guy's a part of our offensive line future, 770 00:34:14,040 --> 00:34:16,399 Speaker 1: this guy might not be. This guy's definitely. It's been 771 00:34:16,400 --> 00:34:18,439 Speaker 1: a new it's been a new bag every single week. 772 00:34:18,640 --> 00:34:20,919 Speaker 1: That's a valid point you're making. You want to find out, 773 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:23,440 Speaker 1: you know which of the five are going to roll together, 774 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 1: right especially you know which ones are you wanting to keep, 775 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,680 Speaker 1: which ones are gonna say, Okay, thank you very much, 776 00:34:30,800 --> 00:34:33,439 Speaker 1: we'll see you next time, Because yeah, you're right, it's 777 00:34:33,600 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 1: it's been a mixture. It's been very reminiscent of what 778 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 1: we saw in seventeen and eighteen, you know, just lots 779 00:34:39,000 --> 00:34:42,080 Speaker 1: of mixing and match and and you know, not as 780 00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:44,799 Speaker 1: effective as you like and in terms of what you 781 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:49,520 Speaker 1: want run protic. I know injuries have played a part 782 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:52,600 Speaker 1: with with Justin Britt and Larry Toun, so I understand that, 783 00:34:53,320 --> 00:34:56,000 Speaker 1: but I don't know if we'll get an extended look 784 00:34:56,040 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 1: at Titus Howard at left tackle um and if he 785 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:01,799 Speaker 1: looks good. I saw Tightis in the hallway the other day. 786 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:03,080 Speaker 1: I was just walking down the hall and he kind 787 00:35:03,080 --> 00:35:04,440 Speaker 1: of had to become on a locker room would come 788 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:06,080 Speaker 1: out of the room the same time. We kind of 789 00:35:06,320 --> 00:35:09,799 Speaker 1: adapt each other up and I said so, I just said, 790 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:13,719 Speaker 1: so like riding a bike and he said that's my 791 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 1: highest grade all year and that was that was just 792 00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,520 Speaker 1: that was all and I just said, well, there you go, 793 00:35:20,600 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 1: and I walked away and I didn't have to say much. 794 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:24,439 Speaker 1: And sometimes that's all I kind of say. The guys 795 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:27,200 Speaker 1: is just that, And I think it just goes to 796 00:35:27,239 --> 00:35:30,440 Speaker 1: show that sometimes the guys, you know, comfort shows that 797 00:35:30,560 --> 00:35:32,600 Speaker 1: you know a guy being comfortable and look, I'm not 798 00:35:32,640 --> 00:35:34,640 Speaker 1: going to sit here and say that tightest wouldn't have 799 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 1: a future guard, but maybe a future is at tackle. 800 00:35:37,480 --> 00:35:41,200 Speaker 1: Maybe maybe it's at left tackle. And you know, who knows. 801 00:35:41,200 --> 00:35:44,200 Speaker 1: There's been a lot of talk about about what happens 802 00:35:44,239 --> 00:35:47,239 Speaker 1: at that particular position, whether Laramie is gonna be a 803 00:35:47,280 --> 00:35:49,360 Speaker 1: long term guy or not, or whether Titis can be 804 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:50,719 Speaker 1: that guy or not. I don't I don't know, but 805 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:52,320 Speaker 1: I want to get settled on it. I want to 806 00:35:52,320 --> 00:35:54,480 Speaker 1: get settled on it so we know. We go into 807 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:58,960 Speaker 1: the draft and twenty twenty twenty two, and look, not 808 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 1: all these guys that I'm about to say are going 809 00:36:00,760 --> 00:36:03,319 Speaker 1: to end up coming out in the draft. They might. 810 00:36:04,120 --> 00:36:07,000 Speaker 1: But you have Ikey Aquanu from NC State. You got 811 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:11,240 Speaker 1: Kenyan Greene from Texas A and M. You got Tyler 812 00:36:11,280 --> 00:36:14,760 Speaker 1: Lindon Bomb the center from Iowa. You got Charles Cross 813 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 1: the offensive tackle from Mississippi State. A couple of those 814 00:36:17,239 --> 00:36:19,399 Speaker 1: guys can play a couple of different positions. A couple 815 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 1: of those guys are set in one position. The thing 816 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:23,960 Speaker 1: about him is all those guys I mentioned, Trevor Penning, 817 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:25,880 Speaker 1: the offensive tackle from Northern Iowa, is as good an 818 00:36:25,920 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 1: athlete as anybody at the offensive line position. The offensive 819 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:32,600 Speaker 1: line is if everybody comes out as we would expect, 820 00:36:32,680 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 1: the defensive line is jacked in this draft. And I 821 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:37,160 Speaker 1: know you don't want to go out there and remind 822 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: a bunch of rookies, but I know that the Inniapolis 823 00:36:40,120 --> 00:36:43,120 Speaker 1: Colts drafted two rookies in twenty eighteen, won six pick 824 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:45,879 Speaker 1: overall and one with the second round pick, and those 825 00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:48,240 Speaker 1: two guys have started nearly every game for the Colts 826 00:36:48,280 --> 00:36:50,720 Speaker 1: when they've been healthy, and Quinn Nelson and Bradon Smith, 827 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 1: and they've been the cornerstones forty percent of that offensive 828 00:36:54,520 --> 00:36:56,680 Speaker 1: line from the day they were drafted in twenty eighteen 829 00:36:56,840 --> 00:36:59,200 Speaker 1: and set the tone for that team. Yeah, Nelson's made 830 00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:03,840 Speaker 1: one of the best players. Yeah, not justless best players. Yeah, 831 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:07,359 Speaker 1: regardless of position, or some people would like to say irregardless, 832 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:11,759 Speaker 1: but no, it's regardless, Yeah, irregardless. Um, they give me 833 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:16,239 Speaker 1: some Gobba gooul to that said, get that offensive line set, 834 00:37:16,280 --> 00:37:18,319 Speaker 1: because on the other side of the ball, there might 835 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:22,120 Speaker 1: be some some in and out parts on the defensive line. 836 00:37:22,200 --> 00:37:24,359 Speaker 1: But I think we're seeing with the defensive line, Drew, 837 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:29,960 Speaker 1: I think we're seeing the makings in the the construction 838 00:37:30,239 --> 00:37:34,160 Speaker 1: of what can be a very good defensive line in 839 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:36,680 Speaker 1: the future. But figuring out what the offensive line has 840 00:37:36,680 --> 00:37:39,400 Speaker 1: got to be and what you want its identity to be, 841 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:44,919 Speaker 1: I think is invaluable to this team. And so you've 842 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:47,319 Speaker 1: got six more games to figure out. All right, what 843 00:37:47,320 --> 00:37:48,960 Speaker 1: do we got with Jimmy Morrison, What do we got 844 00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:51,840 Speaker 1: with Justin britt What do we got with Justin McCrae. 845 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:54,040 Speaker 1: What do we like about Titus? How about Charlie Heck? 846 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:56,040 Speaker 1: These are six games that are a big evaluation of 847 00:37:56,160 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 1: Charlie Heck. He started for a few What what's it 848 00:37:59,320 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 1: looked like? How does it go and really get to 849 00:38:01,360 --> 00:38:04,960 Speaker 1: a point where you can feel confident of This is 850 00:38:05,000 --> 00:38:07,239 Speaker 1: how we feel about this line. We feel these guys 851 00:38:07,239 --> 00:38:09,520 Speaker 1: are starters. We feel these guys are backups. We feel 852 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 1: these are our holes, and we're gonna go attack them 853 00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 1: in free agency and also in the draft. Good stuff. 854 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,319 Speaker 1: Let's see what the young guys can do, and let's 855 00:38:17,360 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: see if you can get some continuity and cohesion and 856 00:38:20,719 --> 00:38:26,440 Speaker 1: chemistry and concreteness. If concreteness didn't exist as a word, 857 00:38:26,520 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 1: it does now. Signed Drew Doherty. All Right, we gotta 858 00:38:30,719 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 1: hit that injury report. I talked about a little bit earlier. 859 00:38:33,640 --> 00:38:36,040 Speaker 1: We'll do that next right here on Texas del Axis, Tara, 860 00:38:36,120 --> 00:38:39,200 Speaker 1: Texas del Axis, Texas. I don't know what you all 861 00:38:39,239 --> 00:38:43,000 Speaker 1: have planted for dinner, but I've got an idea for you. 862 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:47,759 Speaker 1: How about a trip to Freddie's Frozen Custard and Steak Burgers. Oh, 863 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:51,520 Speaker 1: I'm telling you you will not be disappointed. In fact, 864 00:38:51,719 --> 00:38:55,200 Speaker 1: if it's your first time, it won't be your last time. 865 00:38:55,239 --> 00:38:58,200 Speaker 1: I can promise you that Freddie's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers 866 00:38:58,480 --> 00:39:00,480 Speaker 1: is all about the good and creating more of it. 867 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:03,560 Speaker 1: More drive through celebrations, more road trips around the block, 868 00:39:03,640 --> 00:39:07,560 Speaker 1: more family dinners and lunches, more car picnics and desserts, 869 00:39:07,600 --> 00:39:11,200 Speaker 1: maybe even more second desserts, more being together as much 870 00:39:11,239 --> 00:39:15,400 Speaker 1: as we can. With seventeen area locations in the Houston area, 871 00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:19,440 Speaker 1: Freddie's keeps the good going with the taste that brings 872 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:24,680 Speaker 1: you back Freddie's Frozen Custard and Steak Burgers. I'm telling you, 873 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 1: my mouth is watering thinking about that double steak burger, 874 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:37,520 Speaker 1: cheese kurds, mini turtle concrete. Man, I'm hungry. Well, I'm 875 00:39:37,520 --> 00:39:40,400 Speaker 1: also well, I'm john If I didn't say that earlier 876 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:44,560 Speaker 1: and I've also got the injury report for you now, 877 00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 1: I said earlier in the show, and Coach Coully talked 878 00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:53,600 Speaker 1: about it during his pressor today. There was no practice 879 00:39:53,680 --> 00:39:59,840 Speaker 1: today due to sickness that was that had hit the 880 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:04,760 Speaker 1: team that is not COVID related. Nobody tested positive for COVID, 881 00:40:05,760 --> 00:40:09,239 Speaker 1: but they wanted to just be sure. They're at that 882 00:40:09,280 --> 00:40:12,759 Speaker 1: point now week thirteen, where you know what day off 883 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,120 Speaker 1: for practice isn't going to kill them. They kind of 884 00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:19,160 Speaker 1: prepare more mentally anyways. But the injury report. If the 885 00:40:19,200 --> 00:40:23,040 Speaker 1: Texas did practice again, this is an approximation, but they 886 00:40:23,040 --> 00:40:25,840 Speaker 1: would have had a number of DMPs, including Denim and 887 00:40:25,960 --> 00:40:30,400 Speaker 1: Dola with a knee issue, Terrence Brooks, Chris Conley, Brandy Cooks, 888 00:40:31,160 --> 00:40:36,719 Speaker 1: David Johnson, Justin mccraig, Coltoner, DeMarcus Walker, one, two, three, four, 889 00:40:36,840 --> 00:40:40,239 Speaker 1: four of those guys with illness, Jonathan Grennard, and Jacob 890 00:40:40,280 --> 00:40:44,400 Speaker 1: Martin would have been limited participants. The Colts did practice, 891 00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:52,000 Speaker 1: and they have got three huge players dealing with knee issues. 892 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:57,600 Speaker 1: The DMPs for Wednesday the Forrest Buckner, Dunce, tackle, Jack Doyle, 893 00:40:57,640 --> 00:41:00,279 Speaker 1: tight end Ryan Kelly, all deal with knee issues. Darius 894 00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:02,319 Speaker 1: Leonard still deal with that ankle issue, who has been 895 00:41:02,320 --> 00:41:05,080 Speaker 1: a problem from all year. Quintin Nelson dealt an ankle, 896 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:08,399 Speaker 1: and Andrew Sendejo the Rice product and has two weeks 897 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:12,240 Speaker 1: and Row seeing a guy from Rice at Energy Stadium, 898 00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:15,640 Speaker 1: Andersendejo deal with a calf. Those guys were all DMPs. Now, 899 00:41:15,840 --> 00:41:20,160 Speaker 1: just reading further into the Forest Buckner situation, there's a 900 00:41:20,719 --> 00:41:28,200 Speaker 1: fairly high probability that Buckner will not play on Sunday. 901 00:41:29,239 --> 00:41:31,200 Speaker 1: He has been dealing with that knee. It's been a problem. 902 00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:32,919 Speaker 1: Now he's got a foot on top of it. They've 903 00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:36,399 Speaker 1: got a bye week next week. He doesn't play this week, 904 00:41:36,440 --> 00:41:39,040 Speaker 1: he gets another buy. So it's basically three weeks before 905 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:41,280 Speaker 1: he would play again, and he would have only missed 906 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:44,879 Speaker 1: one game in that process. So there's a thought that 907 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:50,200 Speaker 1: Buckner may not play. Deal with that knee in the foot. Now. 908 00:41:50,200 --> 00:41:52,400 Speaker 1: I don't want to see anybody here, says so many times. 909 00:41:52,680 --> 00:41:55,120 Speaker 1: But if they're if there are two players that I 910 00:41:55,239 --> 00:41:58,120 Speaker 1: do not want to see from the Colts, one is Buckner, 911 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:01,160 Speaker 1: the other is Quintin Nelson. Look Jonathan Taylor, I mean, 912 00:42:01,360 --> 00:42:03,120 Speaker 1: I mean he's not even he's not even showing on 913 00:42:03,120 --> 00:42:05,480 Speaker 1: the list. He's not even showing on the on the 914 00:42:05,480 --> 00:42:09,000 Speaker 1: injury report. So two hs just rolling along. But the 915 00:42:09,080 --> 00:42:12,400 Speaker 1: Forrest Buckner deal with that knee. Jack Doyle Ryan Kelly 916 00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:14,920 Speaker 1: both deal with knee issues. Darius Leonard Quittin Nelson deal 917 00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:16,839 Speaker 1: with those ankles that have been problems all year long. 918 00:42:16,960 --> 00:42:20,760 Speaker 1: And Andrewson Dejo with the calf. We will keep eyes peeled. 919 00:42:20,840 --> 00:42:23,920 Speaker 1: Elimited participant Eric Fisher, he's also deal with the knee, 920 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:27,879 Speaker 1: but it appears that it'll be okay, so we'll track 921 00:42:27,960 --> 00:42:29,920 Speaker 1: that the rest of the week. Texans will get back 922 00:42:29,960 --> 00:42:34,880 Speaker 1: to practice on Thursday. Hopefully this illness will work itself 923 00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:36,959 Speaker 1: through the team, not all the way through a team, 924 00:42:36,960 --> 00:42:38,600 Speaker 1: but work itself through with the guys that are ill 925 00:42:38,760 --> 00:42:40,799 Speaker 1: and then get back and get ready for this game 926 00:42:40,800 --> 00:42:46,040 Speaker 1: on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts at an Arch Stadium. 927 00:42:46,080 --> 00:42:48,399 Speaker 1: It's on a little bit more about the Colts with 928 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:52,120 Speaker 1: our pal Matt Taylor, the voice of the Indianapolis Colts. 929 00:42:52,160 --> 00:42:55,360 Speaker 1: It's men behind the MIC's next right here on Texans 930 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:58,319 Speaker 1: All Access. We got one hour down and one hour 931 00:42:58,400 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 1: left to go. Right here on a wind the edition 932 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:05,200 Speaker 1: of Texans All Access got dark way too early. But man, 933 00:43:05,239 --> 00:43:07,959 Speaker 1: this is a wonderful day to be here in our 934 00:43:08,040 --> 00:43:11,799 Speaker 1: city of Houston. Glad you are with me and we 935 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:13,640 Speaker 1: are going through this show, and it's time for our 936 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:17,239 Speaker 1: Men behind the Mics. One of my favorite segments. I 937 00:43:17,239 --> 00:43:20,600 Speaker 1: actually created this. Well, I'll put it this way. I 938 00:43:20,640 --> 00:43:24,279 Speaker 1: gave Mark a to do list and I said, I 939 00:43:24,320 --> 00:43:26,479 Speaker 1: think this would be a really good segment. He said okay, 940 00:43:26,520 --> 00:43:28,239 Speaker 1: and he's run with it, and it's been great all 941 00:43:28,280 --> 00:43:32,560 Speaker 1: these years. And in twenty eighteen, Matt Taylor took over 942 00:43:32,600 --> 00:43:34,799 Speaker 1: as the voice of the Colts. Even before that he 943 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:37,200 Speaker 1: was a silent reporter, so he and I would connect. Well, 944 00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:39,600 Speaker 1: he's moved out the food chain, so to speak, and 945 00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:42,960 Speaker 1: so now Matt connects with Mark through our Men behind 946 00:43:43,040 --> 00:43:45,960 Speaker 1: the Mics, and that is right now joining us right 947 00:43:45,960 --> 00:43:48,520 Speaker 1: now in Texans Radio. It's voice of the Indianapolis Colts, 948 00:43:48,560 --> 00:43:51,000 Speaker 1: Matt Taylor with us. Matt, Well, great to have you 949 00:43:51,080 --> 00:43:53,400 Speaker 1: with us. And I know it wasn't a great result 950 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:56,880 Speaker 1: for the Colts on Sunday. Tell me about the recent 951 00:43:56,960 --> 00:43:59,680 Speaker 1: trend of the team since the Texans have played the 952 00:43:59,719 --> 00:44:02,600 Speaker 1: cold So it was thirty one to three, Indie. Well, 953 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:05,080 Speaker 1: they've really been playing some good football here lately and 954 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:07,640 Speaker 1: they're trying to pull off what the Texans pulled off 955 00:44:07,680 --> 00:44:09,680 Speaker 1: a couple of years ago, right where you start owing 956 00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:12,680 Speaker 1: three and you make the playoffs, and you know they 957 00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:15,399 Speaker 1: were owing three, one and four, But really, since Week 958 00:44:15,440 --> 00:44:17,840 Speaker 1: four on, this is a much better, much more improved 959 00:44:18,440 --> 00:44:20,640 Speaker 1: Colts football team. You know, they're six and three in 960 00:44:20,680 --> 00:44:26,000 Speaker 1: their last nine and unfortunately, the narrative I think across 961 00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:28,560 Speaker 1: the NFL, and if there is a national narrative on 962 00:44:28,600 --> 00:44:30,799 Speaker 1: the Colts, if they look at them, they say good 963 00:44:30,840 --> 00:44:35,600 Speaker 1: football team, but still trying to solidify themselves and take 964 00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:38,840 Speaker 1: that next step, right, trying to beat the elite teams 965 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:43,080 Speaker 1: in the NFL, because unfortunately this season, the Colts have 966 00:44:43,360 --> 00:44:46,719 Speaker 1: three losses on the year where they've led by at 967 00:44:46,800 --> 00:44:50,799 Speaker 1: least ten points the teams that are leading their respective divisions. Right, 968 00:44:50,840 --> 00:44:53,480 Speaker 1: they were up nineteen points in the fourth quarter, couldn't 969 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,279 Speaker 1: close out Baltimore. Back in week number five, You're up 970 00:44:56,360 --> 00:44:58,880 Speaker 1: fourteen to nothing early on the first quarter in a 971 00:44:58,960 --> 00:45:01,759 Speaker 1: home game on Halloween against the Titans. They end up 972 00:45:01,840 --> 00:45:05,200 Speaker 1: dropping that game, and then they're up ten this last 973 00:45:05,239 --> 00:45:08,280 Speaker 1: past Sunday on the defending Super Bowl champs in Tampa 974 00:45:08,320 --> 00:45:10,880 Speaker 1: Bay and the Colts couldn't close that game out and 975 00:45:10,960 --> 00:45:13,520 Speaker 1: they fell thirty eight to thirty one. So, you know, 976 00:45:13,560 --> 00:45:16,600 Speaker 1: the narrative on the Colts, unfortunately is good football team, 977 00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:19,520 Speaker 1: but just not ready to take that next step, and 978 00:45:19,920 --> 00:45:21,840 Speaker 1: it's all about could have, woulda should? I know, you 979 00:45:21,840 --> 00:45:24,360 Speaker 1: can't play that game. But if the Colts win those games, 980 00:45:24,760 --> 00:45:27,400 Speaker 1: they're ninety three and they're probably the first team or 981 00:45:27,400 --> 00:45:29,319 Speaker 1: the you know, in first place in the AFC. But 982 00:45:29,719 --> 00:45:32,000 Speaker 1: as we all know, you know, you just can't do that. 983 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:33,960 Speaker 1: You know, you are what your record says you are. 984 00:45:34,040 --> 00:45:37,160 Speaker 1: And the Colts are six and six, and their margin 985 00:45:37,280 --> 00:45:39,480 Speaker 1: for air here in the last five games as razor 986 00:45:39,560 --> 00:45:41,439 Speaker 1: thin as they try to make the playoffs and again 987 00:45:41,480 --> 00:45:44,719 Speaker 1: pull off what the Texans did in twenty eighteen, go 988 00:45:44,840 --> 00:45:46,960 Speaker 1: oh and three to start the season and then play 989 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:49,799 Speaker 1: some football in January. Matt, It's really interesting to me 990 00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:52,879 Speaker 1: how in a division that has Derek Henry now Henry hurt, 991 00:45:52,960 --> 00:45:55,680 Speaker 1: and Jonathan Taylor has taken over as not only the 992 00:45:55,760 --> 00:45:58,880 Speaker 1: star running back in the division but in the entire NFL. 993 00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:03,200 Speaker 1: What about his performance this season? I mean, yeah, Colts fans, 994 00:46:03,400 --> 00:46:06,320 Speaker 1: they're all rejoicing over this pick. As the Colts traded 995 00:46:06,400 --> 00:46:09,320 Speaker 1: up to get him in the second round in twenty twenty, 996 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:12,080 Speaker 1: and we all knew he would be good. But yeah, 997 00:46:12,160 --> 00:46:15,440 Speaker 1: I mean, even the most optimistic Jonathan Taylor backer, I 998 00:46:15,440 --> 00:46:18,160 Speaker 1: don't think they saw him being this good and this productive. 999 00:46:18,640 --> 00:46:21,280 Speaker 1: I mean, as you said, he leads the NFL and rushing, 1000 00:46:21,600 --> 00:46:24,920 Speaker 1: he leads the NFL and scrimmage. He leads the NFL 1001 00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:28,839 Speaker 1: and touchdowns, rushing, touchdowns. I mean, just give him the ball. 1002 00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:31,560 Speaker 1: I mean it sounds cliche and it sounds hyperpole, but 1003 00:46:31,840 --> 00:46:35,080 Speaker 1: he legitimately is a threat to score every time he 1004 00:46:35,120 --> 00:46:37,480 Speaker 1: has the ball. I mean, he has the two biggest 1005 00:46:37,560 --> 00:46:40,680 Speaker 1: games this season in terms of an overall individual effort 1006 00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:43,600 Speaker 1: rushing the ball. He's accounted for two of the three 1007 00:46:43,640 --> 00:46:47,880 Speaker 1: longest rushes this season. He's got the sixth longest catch 1008 00:46:47,960 --> 00:46:51,200 Speaker 1: for a touchdown this year. I mean, he had that 1009 00:46:51,280 --> 00:46:54,440 Speaker 1: eighty three yard run against the Texans way back in 1010 00:46:54,520 --> 00:46:57,320 Speaker 1: Week number six in that first meeting at Lucas Oil Stadium. 1011 00:46:57,600 --> 00:47:02,000 Speaker 1: He really is and everything an all purpose back. I 1012 00:47:02,040 --> 00:47:04,440 Speaker 1: should say he's great at the blitz pick up. He 1013 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:06,520 Speaker 1: can catch the ball out of the backfield. He's averaging 1014 00:47:06,520 --> 00:47:09,399 Speaker 1: about nine yards per catch this season when he's been 1015 00:47:09,440 --> 00:47:12,560 Speaker 1: targeted in the passing game. The Colts right now mark there. 1016 00:47:13,120 --> 00:47:16,640 Speaker 1: They are a very heavy RPO team, run pass option, 1017 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:19,239 Speaker 1: and in a game like last Sunday when it was 1018 00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:21,719 Speaker 1: hard to run the ball on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1019 00:47:22,480 --> 00:47:24,319 Speaker 1: the Colts still got the ball to Taylor in the 1020 00:47:24,320 --> 00:47:27,440 Speaker 1: passing game, and it's almost more advantageous to get him 1021 00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:29,920 Speaker 1: the ball out in space as compared to, you know, 1022 00:47:30,000 --> 00:47:32,040 Speaker 1: giving him the ball in a sweep or an outside 1023 00:47:32,120 --> 00:47:35,000 Speaker 1: zone where the defense comes to him. Getting the ball 1024 00:47:35,040 --> 00:47:37,200 Speaker 1: in space where he can make one cut an outside 1025 00:47:37,239 --> 00:47:40,840 Speaker 1: linebacker and get fifteen and twenty easy yards, you know, 1026 00:47:40,920 --> 00:47:43,920 Speaker 1: out in space on the perimeter. So he is definitely 1027 00:47:43,920 --> 00:47:47,319 Speaker 1: in the Colts best playmaker and he's in the conversation 1028 00:47:47,440 --> 00:47:50,640 Speaker 1: for MVP. He's probably won't win it because that award 1029 00:47:50,680 --> 00:47:53,279 Speaker 1: always goes to a quarterback. But when you're talking about 1030 00:47:53,320 --> 00:47:56,880 Speaker 1: what MVP means to you, for me, it means, you know, 1031 00:47:56,880 --> 00:47:59,360 Speaker 1: where would this team d without this player if he 1032 00:47:59,400 --> 00:48:02,040 Speaker 1: wasn't on the team. The Colts right now certainly wouldn't 1033 00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:04,800 Speaker 1: be six and three in their last nine without Jonathan 1034 00:48:04,840 --> 00:48:07,680 Speaker 1: Taylor doing what he's doing. Matt Taylor, Voice of the Colts, 1035 00:48:07,760 --> 00:48:10,880 Speaker 1: joining us what about Carson Wentz also very important to 1036 00:48:10,920 --> 00:48:14,160 Speaker 1: their success lately. Yeah, he's taking care of the football. 1037 00:48:14,239 --> 00:48:16,839 Speaker 1: That's the biggest thing all season long. He only has 1038 00:48:16,880 --> 00:48:19,439 Speaker 1: five interceptions on the season, but a lot of those 1039 00:48:19,520 --> 00:48:21,960 Speaker 1: have asterix right where he in a shovel pass got 1040 00:48:22,000 --> 00:48:24,759 Speaker 1: tipped that was intercepted. He had a pick late in 1041 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:27,279 Speaker 1: the game on a hail Mary against Tampa Bay. So 1042 00:48:27,360 --> 00:48:30,000 Speaker 1: really he's been better than the numbers show in terms of, 1043 00:48:30,280 --> 00:48:32,719 Speaker 1: you know, the risk versus the reward. He's taking the 1044 00:48:32,760 --> 00:48:36,000 Speaker 1: shots down the field. He's completing a high percentage of 1045 00:48:36,000 --> 00:48:39,520 Speaker 1: his deep balls. Michael Pittman Junior has really emerged for 1046 00:48:39,560 --> 00:48:42,080 Speaker 1: the Colts in that regard, and he and Carson Wentz 1047 00:48:42,120 --> 00:48:44,160 Speaker 1: have a great deal of trust, you know, throwing the 1048 00:48:44,200 --> 00:48:47,040 Speaker 1: ball down the field and he's just being smart with it. 1049 00:48:47,120 --> 00:48:49,800 Speaker 1: And you know, again the Colts are six and six, 1050 00:48:49,920 --> 00:48:52,480 Speaker 1: but quarterback play has not been the problem this season. 1051 00:48:52,520 --> 00:48:54,440 Speaker 1: If you peel back the onion and you want to 1052 00:48:54,480 --> 00:48:56,240 Speaker 1: make a list of, you know, the top ten reasons 1053 00:48:56,239 --> 00:48:57,880 Speaker 1: why the Colts just haven't been able to get over 1054 00:48:57,920 --> 00:49:00,839 Speaker 1: the hump this season, the quarterback does make that list. 1055 00:49:00,880 --> 00:49:03,799 Speaker 1: He's been that good and that consistent, and you know 1056 00:49:03,840 --> 00:49:07,200 Speaker 1: the Colts and Frank Reich have been proved right so 1057 00:49:07,239 --> 00:49:09,600 Speaker 1: far this year, and their big gamble to go out 1058 00:49:09,640 --> 00:49:11,399 Speaker 1: and trade for him in the offseason when he had 1059 00:49:11,440 --> 00:49:13,719 Speaker 1: such a down year in twenty and twenty with the 1060 00:49:13,760 --> 00:49:16,200 Speaker 1: Philadelphia Eagles. Well, Matt, we know how hard it was 1061 00:49:16,239 --> 00:49:18,640 Speaker 1: for the Texans to move the ball against the Colts 1062 00:49:18,719 --> 00:49:21,440 Speaker 1: last time around, and know the Buccaneers had success last week. 1063 00:49:21,520 --> 00:49:25,799 Speaker 1: But what about the defense overall in twenty twenty one. Yeah, defensively, 1064 00:49:25,880 --> 00:49:27,799 Speaker 1: it's been kind of a mixed bag. You know, some 1065 00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:30,760 Speaker 1: weeks it's it's you know, it's it's really on point, 1066 00:49:30,920 --> 00:49:33,719 Speaker 1: and other weeks, you know, they struggle to get off 1067 00:49:33,760 --> 00:49:35,799 Speaker 1: the field. The saving grace, you know, sort of the 1068 00:49:35,840 --> 00:49:39,440 Speaker 1: life raft of this defense, mark has been takeaways. Teams 1069 00:49:39,440 --> 00:49:41,439 Speaker 1: have been able to move the ball against them, they've 1070 00:49:41,440 --> 00:49:44,840 Speaker 1: been able to put up points. But give the Colts credit, 1071 00:49:44,880 --> 00:49:48,000 Speaker 1: they have this knack, this ability that when our backs 1072 00:49:48,000 --> 00:49:50,680 Speaker 1: are truly against the wall and in crunch time, we 1073 00:49:50,760 --> 00:49:54,000 Speaker 1: got to make a play that they leave the NFL 1074 00:49:54,040 --> 00:49:58,040 Speaker 1: and takeaways. They have a takeaway now in thirteen consecutive 1075 00:49:58,080 --> 00:50:01,040 Speaker 1: games dating back to last year, they leave the NFL 1076 00:50:01,080 --> 00:50:04,960 Speaker 1: and force fumbles and fumble recoveries. Uh, Darius Leonard is 1077 00:50:05,000 --> 00:50:07,799 Speaker 1: so good at just you know again, he has this 1078 00:50:07,920 --> 00:50:11,200 Speaker 1: uncanny ability to strip you from the ball, or step 1079 00:50:11,200 --> 00:50:13,080 Speaker 1: in front of a pass, or get his hands on 1080 00:50:13,120 --> 00:50:17,160 Speaker 1: the ball. He's just he's really really good at sort 1081 00:50:17,200 --> 00:50:20,120 Speaker 1: of being an instinctual player and stepping up when the 1082 00:50:20,160 --> 00:50:22,239 Speaker 1: Colts need to take away at the worst moments. That's 1083 00:50:22,280 --> 00:50:26,480 Speaker 1: when Darius Leonard sort of shines. But no, I mean, overall, 1084 00:50:26,560 --> 00:50:29,560 Speaker 1: the numbers aren't going to blow you away, especially mark 1085 00:50:29,880 --> 00:50:33,560 Speaker 1: and crunch time. The Colts under Matt Eberflewsen's twenty eighteen 1086 00:50:33,840 --> 00:50:36,600 Speaker 1: they've been a really good team on defense in the 1087 00:50:36,600 --> 00:50:39,879 Speaker 1: fourth quarter. But for whatever reason this year it's been 1088 00:50:39,960 --> 00:50:42,360 Speaker 1: everything but that they've been outscored in the in the 1089 00:50:42,400 --> 00:50:45,279 Speaker 1: fourth quarter this year by forty two points, which is 1090 00:50:45,320 --> 00:50:48,080 Speaker 1: thirtieth in the NFL. In terms of fourth quarter margin, 1091 00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:52,920 Speaker 1: they've allowed one hundred and fourteen fourth quarter points on 1092 00:50:52,960 --> 00:50:56,239 Speaker 1: the year, which is thirtieth in the NFL. And that's 1093 00:50:56,320 --> 00:50:58,360 Speaker 1: one of the measuring sticks for a good team is 1094 00:50:59,040 --> 00:51:01,239 Speaker 1: when the game's on the line and when you're in 1095 00:51:01,320 --> 00:51:04,280 Speaker 1: crunch time, can you make more plays than the other team. 1096 00:51:04,320 --> 00:51:07,239 Speaker 1: And just for whatever reason, this year the Colts, you know, 1097 00:51:07,320 --> 00:51:10,640 Speaker 1: fourth quarter has not been kind to them, especially on defense, 1098 00:51:10,680 --> 00:51:12,840 Speaker 1: and again that's a big reason why they haven't been 1099 00:51:12,880 --> 00:51:15,560 Speaker 1: able to close out these teams like you know, Tampa 1100 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:19,640 Speaker 1: Bay and Tennessee in Baltimore. If the Colts won those games, 1101 00:51:19,680 --> 00:51:21,400 Speaker 1: you know, they'd be seeing a different team right now. 1102 00:51:21,440 --> 00:51:23,279 Speaker 1: They'd be much better than where they are right now 1103 00:51:23,520 --> 00:51:26,239 Speaker 1: at five hundred and six and six. Matt, last time 1104 00:51:26,280 --> 00:51:28,680 Speaker 1: these two teams hooked up, it was Davis Mills playing 1105 00:51:28,719 --> 00:51:31,920 Speaker 1: quarterback for the Texans. Now it's Tyrod Taylor. What are 1106 00:51:32,000 --> 00:51:35,799 Speaker 1: your thoughts on the Colts facing Taylor versus Mills in 1107 00:51:35,840 --> 00:51:38,640 Speaker 1: this particular matchup. Yeah, I think it's a it's a 1108 00:51:38,719 --> 00:51:41,600 Speaker 1: it's a much more even matchup. I respect the heck 1109 00:51:41,600 --> 00:51:44,400 Speaker 1: out of Tyrod Taylor. He's a really, really good quarterback. 1110 00:51:44,440 --> 00:51:48,400 Speaker 1: He's played you know, seemingly zillion games in this league 1111 00:51:48,400 --> 00:51:50,600 Speaker 1: for a lot of teams. He's bounced around a little bit. 1112 00:51:50,960 --> 00:51:52,520 Speaker 1: I mean, just a couple of years ago, he took 1113 00:51:52,520 --> 00:51:55,919 Speaker 1: a Buffalo team to the playoffs. And you know, he's 1114 00:51:55,920 --> 00:51:58,359 Speaker 1: a really smart quarterback, and I think he gives them 1115 00:51:58,360 --> 00:52:01,359 Speaker 1: a much more competitor of edging this game a much 1116 00:52:01,360 --> 00:52:03,680 Speaker 1: better shot to win a game like this, and I 1117 00:52:03,680 --> 00:52:06,359 Speaker 1: think it's a completely different type of offense with him 1118 00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:09,040 Speaker 1: at quarterback. No disrespect to the rookie, but you know, 1119 00:52:09,040 --> 00:52:10,560 Speaker 1: you're just talking about a guy that's been in the 1120 00:52:10,600 --> 00:52:12,839 Speaker 1: league that's seen a lot more compared to a guy 1121 00:52:12,840 --> 00:52:15,480 Speaker 1: that's played in six games coming out of Stanford here 1122 00:52:15,520 --> 00:52:17,960 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty one. So now I think this is 1123 00:52:18,000 --> 00:52:20,160 Speaker 1: going to be a great game, and I think defensively 1124 00:52:20,520 --> 00:52:22,960 Speaker 1: it's a much better matchup for the Colts because the 1125 00:52:22,960 --> 00:52:26,359 Speaker 1: Texans are playing much better on defense as of late 1126 00:52:26,400 --> 00:52:28,880 Speaker 1: in these last three games as you've seen, Mark, I mean, 1127 00:52:28,880 --> 00:52:32,279 Speaker 1: they're giving up only about seventeen points per game on 1128 00:52:32,360 --> 00:52:35,319 Speaker 1: defense in the last three coming into this contest. And 1129 00:52:35,440 --> 00:52:38,920 Speaker 1: just like the Colts, the Texans have been thriving on takeaways. Well, 1130 00:52:39,000 --> 00:52:41,160 Speaker 1: I think the numbers and you can you can clarify 1131 00:52:41,239 --> 00:52:43,800 Speaker 1: this more than me, but what's the number eleven takeaways 1132 00:52:43,800 --> 00:52:46,560 Speaker 1: in the last three games. Yep, a lot of interceptions, 1133 00:52:46,880 --> 00:52:49,279 Speaker 1: So you know in that secondary has been playing good. 1134 00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:51,960 Speaker 1: You know, I'm really impressed with Grenard this season with 1135 00:52:52,000 --> 00:52:55,719 Speaker 1: his eight sacks and Gruge Hill he's a really good linebacker. 1136 00:52:55,760 --> 00:52:58,280 Speaker 1: He's come on for him, he's got seven tackles for loss. 1137 00:52:58,560 --> 00:53:00,640 Speaker 1: So I think this is a much better match up 1138 00:53:00,680 --> 00:53:02,560 Speaker 1: for the Colts on both sides of the ball. And 1139 00:53:02,680 --> 00:53:05,439 Speaker 1: the second going around with the Texans, Matt, what about 1140 00:53:05,480 --> 00:53:08,560 Speaker 1: having hard knocks in the building? What's that like for you? 1141 00:53:08,560 --> 00:53:11,480 Speaker 1: You see them around. What do you think the players 1142 00:53:11,520 --> 00:53:14,239 Speaker 1: their reaction to it having those cameras around them all 1143 00:53:14,280 --> 00:53:17,000 Speaker 1: the time? Yeah, I think it's cool. And I think 1144 00:53:17,040 --> 00:53:20,080 Speaker 1: you know, at the beginning of the season, when you know, 1145 00:53:20,560 --> 00:53:23,319 Speaker 1: everything's so sensitive and you're used to just you know, 1146 00:53:23,400 --> 00:53:25,640 Speaker 1: sort of like hunkering down in your own bunker, a 1147 00:53:25,680 --> 00:53:27,879 Speaker 1: bunker and it's you against the world, and now there's 1148 00:53:27,920 --> 00:53:31,040 Speaker 1: cameras and microphones in your face. I think it was 1149 00:53:31,120 --> 00:53:33,360 Speaker 1: really foreign to them at the beginning of the season, 1150 00:53:33,920 --> 00:53:37,000 Speaker 1: and you know, it's sort of awkward and it took 1151 00:53:37,040 --> 00:53:39,759 Speaker 1: some getting used to. But now I think they are 1152 00:53:40,440 --> 00:53:42,080 Speaker 1: used to it, and I think it is sort of 1153 00:53:42,080 --> 00:53:44,719 Speaker 1: a new normal, at least for this year. And I've 1154 00:53:44,760 --> 00:53:46,960 Speaker 1: been really happy with the show. I think it's an 1155 00:53:47,040 --> 00:53:49,799 Speaker 1: entertaining show. And you know, I think the coolest thing, 1156 00:53:49,920 --> 00:53:52,680 Speaker 1: you know, from a Colts perspective, and you know, just 1157 00:53:52,719 --> 00:53:55,080 Speaker 1: as a fan, mark, is that show as you know, 1158 00:53:55,280 --> 00:53:58,200 Speaker 1: does such a good job of just telling stories and 1159 00:53:59,040 --> 00:54:02,880 Speaker 1: highlighting players and peeling back the onion and getting to 1160 00:54:02,920 --> 00:54:05,160 Speaker 1: know these guys on and off the field and what 1161 00:54:05,280 --> 00:54:07,920 Speaker 1: makes them tick, and you know, what they go home to, 1162 00:54:08,120 --> 00:54:10,279 Speaker 1: what life is like for them when they're not a 1163 00:54:10,280 --> 00:54:13,280 Speaker 1: football player, Right when Darius Leonard can just be a dad, 1164 00:54:13,440 --> 00:54:15,640 Speaker 1: or you know, Carson Wentz can just go home and 1165 00:54:15,680 --> 00:54:17,600 Speaker 1: be a husband and play with his kids and just 1166 00:54:17,920 --> 00:54:20,880 Speaker 1: be normal people people. That's my favorite part of the show. 1167 00:54:21,440 --> 00:54:25,120 Speaker 1: That plus you know that the first episode was really 1168 00:54:25,440 --> 00:54:28,120 Speaker 1: you know, sort of feature e kind of off the field, 1169 00:54:28,320 --> 00:54:30,640 Speaker 1: and then the second episode was you know, let's get 1170 00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:33,479 Speaker 1: inside the meeting rooms and sort of the the good 1171 00:54:33,480 --> 00:54:35,720 Speaker 1: blend there of off the field and on the field. 1172 00:54:35,920 --> 00:54:38,160 Speaker 1: And I'm a football junkie just like you, Mark, So 1173 00:54:38,200 --> 00:54:40,400 Speaker 1: I want to go inside the meeting rooms and I 1174 00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:43,040 Speaker 1: want to see what you know, Scottie Montgomery, the off 1175 00:54:43,120 --> 00:54:47,080 Speaker 1: the running backs coaches is talking to Chris Ballard, the 1176 00:54:47,120 --> 00:54:50,320 Speaker 1: general manager, about how great Jonathan Taylor has been this season. 1177 00:54:50,480 --> 00:54:53,200 Speaker 1: I want to see those sort of like off the cuff, uh, 1178 00:54:53,320 --> 00:54:56,480 Speaker 1: you know, organic in the moment type of conversations that 1179 00:54:56,520 --> 00:54:59,080 Speaker 1: they're documenting and that's that's the greatest part of the 1180 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:03,640 Speaker 1: show is they're collecting all of this inventory, all this content, 1181 00:55:04,320 --> 00:55:06,600 Speaker 1: and then they put the best you know, scenes and 1182 00:55:06,640 --> 00:55:09,360 Speaker 1: the best moments in the show, and you don't know 1183 00:55:09,480 --> 00:55:11,200 Speaker 1: from a week to week basis what's going to be 1184 00:55:11,239 --> 00:55:13,640 Speaker 1: in the show. That's why it's a must watch, saying 1185 00:55:13,760 --> 00:55:16,640 Speaker 1: and uh, you know for football fans, not just Colts fans, 1186 00:55:16,640 --> 00:55:19,279 Speaker 1: but football fans, you gotta watch this show. And I 1187 00:55:19,360 --> 00:55:22,239 Speaker 1: love the fact that it's it's morphed into an in 1188 00:55:22,440 --> 00:55:26,280 Speaker 1: season program outside of just in training camp, because in season, 1189 00:55:26,600 --> 00:55:29,480 Speaker 1: I mean, that's that's that's the moneymaker right there. I mean, 1190 00:55:29,480 --> 00:55:32,480 Speaker 1: the wins and the losses during this season is what's 1191 00:55:32,480 --> 00:55:35,640 Speaker 1: going to dictate success, you know, setting yourself up for 1192 00:55:35,640 --> 00:55:38,160 Speaker 1: what the next offseason is going to look like. So 1193 00:55:38,200 --> 00:55:41,560 Speaker 1: to get a behind the scenes look at what life 1194 00:55:41,600 --> 00:55:44,760 Speaker 1: is like, you know, Monday through Saturday leading into Sunday, 1195 00:55:45,080 --> 00:55:47,319 Speaker 1: I think is more interesting than what you see during 1196 00:55:47,360 --> 00:55:50,160 Speaker 1: training camp in the month of August. Matt Taylor, Voice 1197 00:55:50,160 --> 00:55:52,760 Speaker 1: of the Cults joining us. Matt, what about the Tennessee 1198 00:55:52,800 --> 00:55:56,440 Speaker 1: Titans your thoughts on their situation right now? After losing 1199 00:55:56,480 --> 00:55:58,840 Speaker 1: a couple of games in a row one to the Texans, 1200 00:55:58,840 --> 00:56:01,880 Speaker 1: actually another to the Patriots. That's after their big streak 1201 00:56:01,880 --> 00:56:04,080 Speaker 1: in which they beat all those playoff teams. What do 1202 00:56:04,080 --> 00:56:07,279 Speaker 1: you think they're headed. I still think they're heading in 1203 00:56:07,280 --> 00:56:10,439 Speaker 1: the right direction. I still believe in them. I think 1204 00:56:10,480 --> 00:56:13,800 Speaker 1: from a makeup standpoint in their culture under Mike vrabel, 1205 00:56:14,200 --> 00:56:16,759 Speaker 1: I still think this team is probably destined to be, 1206 00:56:17,280 --> 00:56:20,520 Speaker 1: you know, a top two seed in the conference. I 1207 00:56:20,680 --> 00:56:22,520 Speaker 1: just you know, at the beginning of this season, when 1208 00:56:22,520 --> 00:56:25,080 Speaker 1: you looked at their schedule and they started beating all 1209 00:56:25,080 --> 00:56:28,080 Speaker 1: these playoff teams from last year, you just kept waiting 1210 00:56:28,160 --> 00:56:31,239 Speaker 1: for things done unravel, right, I mean, Julio Jones is 1211 00:56:31,280 --> 00:56:34,520 Speaker 1: out and then Derrek Henry's out, and you're just thinking 1212 00:56:34,560 --> 00:56:36,360 Speaker 1: to yourself, right, this is gonna be the week. This 1213 00:56:36,440 --> 00:56:38,440 Speaker 1: is gonna be the week where they sort of come 1214 00:56:38,480 --> 00:56:40,879 Speaker 1: back to earth. And then they just keep knocking off 1215 00:56:40,880 --> 00:56:43,080 Speaker 1: playoff teams. And now I know it's eventually happened to 1216 00:56:43,160 --> 00:56:46,160 Speaker 1: them to a degree. As you said, the Texans got them, 1217 00:56:46,200 --> 00:56:48,640 Speaker 1: they went on the road, they got thrashed by the Patriots. 1218 00:56:48,680 --> 00:56:51,120 Speaker 1: But the Patriots are playing some really good football right now, 1219 00:56:51,400 --> 00:56:53,919 Speaker 1: so they have been brought back to earth a little bit. 1220 00:56:54,160 --> 00:56:57,400 Speaker 1: But I think they have sustaining power, and I just 1221 00:56:57,480 --> 00:57:00,040 Speaker 1: like their culture. I like the way they play. I 1222 00:57:00,080 --> 00:57:02,279 Speaker 1: think they get a j Brown back eventually. I know 1223 00:57:02,320 --> 00:57:05,040 Speaker 1: they've been banged up and every team has, you know, 1224 00:57:05,040 --> 00:57:07,000 Speaker 1: the war of attrition on him here throughout the course 1225 00:57:07,000 --> 00:57:09,160 Speaker 1: of the season. You know, the Colts and Texans can 1226 00:57:09,160 --> 00:57:11,680 Speaker 1: certainly raise their hand and attest to that. But now 1227 00:57:11,840 --> 00:57:14,399 Speaker 1: I think they're built for success in the long term. 1228 00:57:14,440 --> 00:57:17,000 Speaker 1: This season, I think they definitely make the playoffs. I 1229 00:57:17,000 --> 00:57:19,560 Speaker 1: think they win this division because they're the lead they 1230 00:57:19,600 --> 00:57:22,240 Speaker 1: have built up on the Colts is just too big 1231 00:57:22,280 --> 00:57:26,280 Speaker 1: at this point. It's probably insurmountable for Indianapolis, considering you know, 1232 00:57:26,360 --> 00:57:28,600 Speaker 1: it's it's it's three games right now, but really it's 1233 00:57:28,640 --> 00:57:31,280 Speaker 1: four if you throw in the tiebreaker with the Titans 1234 00:57:31,280 --> 00:57:34,360 Speaker 1: sweeping the season series with the Colts. But I like 1235 00:57:34,520 --> 00:57:37,680 Speaker 1: their chances once they get into January football because of 1236 00:57:37,760 --> 00:57:41,080 Speaker 1: just what their identity is, and they're great up front 1237 00:57:41,080 --> 00:57:44,600 Speaker 1: on both sides of the ball, and I like them 1238 00:57:44,640 --> 00:57:46,840 Speaker 1: actually to make some noise in the month of January. 1239 00:57:47,120 --> 00:57:50,840 Speaker 1: Your level of surprise, if any when Urban Meyers said, no, 1240 00:57:50,920 --> 00:57:53,440 Speaker 1: I'm committed to the Jaguars, I'm not interested in any 1241 00:57:53,440 --> 00:57:57,600 Speaker 1: of these college openings thoughts. No, not really. I mean, 1242 00:57:58,000 --> 00:58:02,600 Speaker 1: I don't think he takes this job in Jacksonville's he 1243 00:58:02,720 --> 00:58:04,800 Speaker 1: to me, Mark seems like he's on a mission to 1244 00:58:04,960 --> 00:58:08,320 Speaker 1: once again prove himself as one of the best coaches 1245 00:58:08,800 --> 00:58:12,000 Speaker 1: in football, whether that's you know, high major college football 1246 00:58:12,120 --> 00:58:14,080 Speaker 1: or the NFL level. I don't think he takes this 1247 00:58:14,200 --> 00:58:18,080 Speaker 1: job if he doesn't have, you know, his soul, intense 1248 00:58:18,200 --> 00:58:22,120 Speaker 1: purposes on you know, turning that brand around. And obviously 1249 00:58:22,160 --> 00:58:23,880 Speaker 1: I know he got in some hot water off the 1250 00:58:23,920 --> 00:58:27,200 Speaker 1: field with his actions early in the season away from 1251 00:58:27,200 --> 00:58:30,160 Speaker 1: his team, But I do think he's a good football coach. 1252 00:58:30,240 --> 00:58:32,600 Speaker 1: I think it's going to take some time. I'm actually 1253 00:58:32,640 --> 00:58:34,800 Speaker 1: a little bit more disappointed with the jet with the 1254 00:58:34,880 --> 00:58:37,200 Speaker 1: Jaguars and a lot of other people. I know they're 1255 00:58:37,240 --> 00:58:39,320 Speaker 1: having a bad season, but I actually thought they would 1256 00:58:39,320 --> 00:58:42,280 Speaker 1: be more competitive than they've showed this season. But I 1257 00:58:42,280 --> 00:58:44,880 Speaker 1: think they're going to turn it around. I'm not surprised 1258 00:58:44,880 --> 00:58:47,280 Speaker 1: that he's going to stay committed to Jacksonville because I 1259 00:58:47,280 --> 00:58:49,080 Speaker 1: think he wants to prove to people that he can 1260 00:58:49,240 --> 00:58:51,320 Speaker 1: do it at this level. Otherwise, I don't think he 1261 00:58:51,320 --> 00:58:53,480 Speaker 1: would have taken the job all right, well, I know 1262 00:58:53,520 --> 00:58:56,680 Speaker 1: the Colts play the Jacks again on let's see what 1263 00:58:56,800 --> 00:58:59,800 Speaker 1: is it the last day of the regular season, January ninth. 1264 00:59:00,000 --> 00:59:02,680 Speaker 1: All right, we'll see how that plays out. But before that, 1265 00:59:02,720 --> 00:59:04,840 Speaker 1: we'll see how this plays out Sunday at noon. Matt, 1266 00:59:04,880 --> 00:59:07,360 Speaker 1: thanks so much for joining us. We appreciate it. As always, 1267 00:59:07,720 --> 00:59:10,560 Speaker 1: you got a mark. It's our guy, Matt Taylor, the 1268 00:59:10,680 --> 00:59:14,640 Speaker 1: voice of the Indianapolis Colts. And what a tremendous dude. 1269 00:59:14,640 --> 00:59:17,439 Speaker 1: I absolutely love Matt. He is. He is tremendous. Wherever 1270 00:59:17,440 --> 00:59:19,080 Speaker 1: we get to the combine, we probably sit out for 1271 00:59:19,080 --> 00:59:22,400 Speaker 1: about thirty to forty five minutes and just share stories 1272 00:59:22,440 --> 00:59:26,520 Speaker 1: about our seasons and what's happened, and just a wonderful, 1273 00:59:26,640 --> 00:59:29,520 Speaker 1: wonderful man, and I'm glad for him to be the 1274 00:59:29,600 --> 00:59:32,920 Speaker 1: voice of the Indianapolis Colts. Coming up next, it is 1275 00:59:33,000 --> 00:59:35,919 Speaker 1: our Behind Enemy Sidelines Interview of the Week with DP Sitter. 1276 00:59:35,960 --> 00:59:39,920 Speaker 1: In this week it's Lara Overton from Colts dot Com. 1277 00:59:40,120 --> 00:59:43,600 Speaker 1: These two, I believe if I remember correctly, I don't 1278 00:59:43,600 --> 00:59:45,320 Speaker 1: know if my Mike can go back one week much 1279 00:59:45,360 --> 00:59:48,880 Speaker 1: of seven weeks, but Laura joined us in week six 1280 00:59:49,000 --> 00:59:52,320 Speaker 1: to preview that one. She joined us next to preview 1281 00:59:52,320 --> 00:59:56,920 Speaker 1: this next one right here at Texans Alexis Alexis Alexis. 1282 00:59:57,520 --> 01:00:00,440 Speaker 1: Welcome back this Wednesday dation to Texas All Access Monday, 1283 01:00:00,440 --> 01:00:05,520 Speaker 1: Texans Radio Studio. I am John Harris, former calculus teacher, 1284 01:00:05,640 --> 01:00:08,960 Speaker 1: and I know when it came time to finding subilminal 1285 01:00:09,000 --> 01:00:12,560 Speaker 1: materials for my kids in a classroom, I looked everywhere. Well, 1286 01:00:12,920 --> 01:00:15,080 Speaker 1: I'm calling all my teachers out there in Houston area, 1287 01:00:15,160 --> 01:00:17,480 Speaker 1: especially those teaching third fourth graders. You want to bring 1288 01:00:17,480 --> 01:00:20,840 Speaker 1: a little Texas football to your classroom. Well, I've got 1289 01:00:20,840 --> 01:00:24,240 Speaker 1: the ticket, and that is Toros Mathrils, presented by our 1290 01:00:24,280 --> 01:00:28,000 Speaker 1: friends at Conico Phillips. Toros Matris is a video series 1291 01:00:28,400 --> 01:00:32,760 Speaker 1: designed to help third and fourth graders learn math in 1292 01:00:32,800 --> 01:00:35,960 Speaker 1: the best way possible, and that's with football. Go Do 1293 01:00:35,960 --> 01:00:39,600 Speaker 1: you used to Texas dot Com slash Toros Matris to 1294 01:00:39,920 --> 01:00:43,480 Speaker 1: learn more? All right, It's time to go behind enemy 1295 01:00:43,520 --> 01:00:45,919 Speaker 1: sidelines with a good friend Deepe City And this week 1296 01:00:46,200 --> 01:00:48,240 Speaker 1: she talks with a friend of hers. She's got to 1297 01:00:48,280 --> 01:00:51,240 Speaker 1: be very close to Laura Overton, who knows the Colts 1298 01:00:51,280 --> 01:00:55,520 Speaker 1: inside and out. Deepe Ticket Away. It's Endemy Sidelines presented 1299 01:00:55,520 --> 01:00:58,680 Speaker 1: by Microsoft. My good friend once again. Lara Overton, team 1300 01:00:58,680 --> 01:01:01,320 Speaker 1: reporter for the Indianapolis Colts. Lara, I got to ask 1301 01:01:01,360 --> 01:01:04,000 Speaker 1: you about this. Colts lost to the Bucks thirty eight 1302 01:01:04,000 --> 01:01:06,280 Speaker 1: to thirty one. What's the mood like in Indie. Is 1303 01:01:06,280 --> 01:01:09,520 Speaker 1: it more frustration that it was a game that they 1304 01:01:09,520 --> 01:01:12,480 Speaker 1: could have had in hand or is there some optimism 1305 01:01:12,520 --> 01:01:15,880 Speaker 1: that the postseason chances are looking pretty good with Tennessee 1306 01:01:15,880 --> 01:01:17,520 Speaker 1: losing to in a row. Well, it's a little bit 1307 01:01:17,560 --> 01:01:19,760 Speaker 1: of both, And unfortunately, this is a feeling that the 1308 01:01:19,840 --> 01:01:22,439 Speaker 1: Colts know all too well. This is not the first 1309 01:01:22,480 --> 01:01:24,479 Speaker 1: time this season that the Colts have had a double 1310 01:01:24,480 --> 01:01:27,600 Speaker 1: digit lead on a playoff team and let that evaporate. 1311 01:01:27,640 --> 01:01:30,000 Speaker 1: When you look back to a nineteen point lead on 1312 01:01:30,080 --> 01:01:32,560 Speaker 1: Monday Night football in Baltimore against the Ravens that the 1313 01:01:32,640 --> 01:01:34,760 Speaker 1: Ravens were able to come back from and the Cults 1314 01:01:34,760 --> 01:01:37,640 Speaker 1: were at home hosting the Tennessee Titans and what was 1315 01:01:37,680 --> 01:01:40,560 Speaker 1: a must win situation got up fourteen nothing and then 1316 01:01:40,640 --> 01:01:44,360 Speaker 1: ultimately lost to Tennessee at Lucasoil Stadium in that game. 1317 01:01:44,400 --> 01:01:46,439 Speaker 1: And then it happens again where you build a double 1318 01:01:46,800 --> 01:01:50,160 Speaker 1: lead over the raigning Super Bowl champions and through just 1319 01:01:50,320 --> 01:01:55,200 Speaker 1: a series of very unfortunate turnovers for the Indianapolis Colts 1320 01:01:55,200 --> 01:01:58,120 Speaker 1: are really uncharacteristic turn of events with them because the 1321 01:01:58,160 --> 01:02:01,160 Speaker 1: Colts are a very disciplined team typically. But the fact 1322 01:02:01,120 --> 01:02:04,200 Speaker 1: of the matter is when you're facing Tom Brady, there 1323 01:02:04,360 --> 01:02:07,200 Speaker 1: is so little room for error that he was able 1324 01:02:07,240 --> 01:02:10,800 Speaker 1: to capitalize. You know, those opportunities in which Shack Barrett 1325 01:02:10,800 --> 01:02:12,720 Speaker 1: gets a strip sack on Carson Wentz, they rolled to 1326 01:02:12,760 --> 01:02:14,880 Speaker 1: get points off of that. They were able to come back, 1327 01:02:14,920 --> 01:02:18,720 Speaker 1: you know, capitalize on interceptions in those situations, and you know, 1328 01:02:18,760 --> 01:02:21,120 Speaker 1: the Colts were not able to close out games. And 1329 01:02:21,200 --> 01:02:23,920 Speaker 1: that has been a point of emphasis really over the 1330 01:02:23,960 --> 01:02:27,080 Speaker 1: course of this season, is that this team needs to 1331 01:02:27,120 --> 01:02:30,800 Speaker 1: find ways to finish better against playoff caliber type of teams. 1332 01:02:31,080 --> 01:02:33,240 Speaker 1: We saw them play their best game of the year 1333 01:02:33,240 --> 01:02:36,360 Speaker 1: against Buffalo. They were riding high off of that victory. 1334 01:02:36,400 --> 01:02:39,360 Speaker 1: So there is tons of reason for optimism. And one 1335 01:02:39,400 --> 01:02:43,240 Speaker 1: point for Frank Reich has been this AFC picture is 1336 01:02:43,320 --> 01:02:46,760 Speaker 1: still wide open. No one has taken a stranglehold really 1337 01:02:46,880 --> 01:02:50,400 Speaker 1: on this conference. And you know, within this wildcard picture 1338 01:02:50,480 --> 01:02:53,040 Speaker 1: in particular, you see the way the Tennessee Titans are 1339 01:02:53,040 --> 01:02:55,800 Speaker 1: reeling thanks a little bit to the Houston Texans helping 1340 01:02:55,840 --> 01:02:58,400 Speaker 1: them to that two game skid. This is an opportunity 1341 01:02:58,440 --> 01:03:01,240 Speaker 1: where if the Colts are going to position themselves to 1342 01:03:01,360 --> 01:03:03,560 Speaker 1: make a December run, they have to have a sense 1343 01:03:03,560 --> 01:03:05,880 Speaker 1: of urgency about it, and it starts this weekend in Houston. 1344 01:03:05,960 --> 01:03:08,000 Speaker 1: He mentioned the game at Buffalo, and I think we're 1345 01:03:08,000 --> 01:03:10,920 Speaker 1: still all talking about Jonathan Taylor. He probably rushed for 1346 01:03:10,920 --> 01:03:15,600 Speaker 1: another touchdown again. I think he's still running five touchdowns, 1347 01:03:15,600 --> 01:03:18,200 Speaker 1: four rushing, one receiving, and everybody sort of was talking 1348 01:03:18,200 --> 01:03:21,440 Speaker 1: about him in that MVP conversation if they weren't already. 1349 01:03:21,520 --> 01:03:24,240 Speaker 1: So he has put up one hundred yards rushing in 1350 01:03:24,360 --> 01:03:26,959 Speaker 1: five of the last seven games. I mean, he's only 1351 01:03:26,960 --> 01:03:29,360 Speaker 1: in a second year. But what do you really factor 1352 01:03:29,400 --> 01:03:31,479 Speaker 1: in for the key to his success in that ground 1353 01:03:31,520 --> 01:03:35,360 Speaker 1: game this year? It is his dogged work ethic and 1354 01:03:35,400 --> 01:03:40,760 Speaker 1: then this incredible balance of confidence yet humility that he has. 1355 01:03:40,880 --> 01:03:43,760 Speaker 1: He is an incredibly not just unique athlete, he's a 1356 01:03:43,840 --> 01:03:46,880 Speaker 1: very unique person in the sense that he exudes a 1357 01:03:46,920 --> 01:03:51,080 Speaker 1: confidence without being arrogant. There is a sense that this 1358 01:03:51,120 --> 01:03:53,680 Speaker 1: team gets when Jonathan Taylor is in the ball game. 1359 01:03:53,720 --> 01:03:55,640 Speaker 1: He gets that ball in the stands. The way he 1360 01:03:55,720 --> 01:03:59,480 Speaker 1: breaks tackles, and takes defenders with him on the run. 1361 01:03:59,640 --> 01:04:04,160 Speaker 1: Is incredibly impressive. He's behind a great offensive line. I mean, 1362 01:04:04,160 --> 01:04:07,480 Speaker 1: when you look at Ryan Kelly, Quitte, Nelson, Braden Smith, 1363 01:04:07,520 --> 01:04:09,520 Speaker 1: all of the guys who he has working up front, 1364 01:04:09,800 --> 01:04:12,640 Speaker 1: they are certainly to be credited and well so for 1365 01:04:12,840 --> 01:04:15,520 Speaker 1: the opportunities that Jonathan Taylor has had over the course 1366 01:04:15,560 --> 01:04:19,480 Speaker 1: of this season. But Jonathan Taylor went into the twenty 1367 01:04:19,520 --> 01:04:23,200 Speaker 1: twenty offseason coming off of that twenty twenty season incredibly 1368 01:04:23,200 --> 01:04:27,080 Speaker 1: committed because he finished so strong on that late half 1369 01:04:27,120 --> 01:04:29,760 Speaker 1: of the season. He was thrust into the starting role 1370 01:04:29,800 --> 01:04:32,440 Speaker 1: when Marlon Mack went down with the achilles injury and 1371 01:04:32,520 --> 01:04:34,560 Speaker 1: he had to get up to speed to be the 1372 01:04:34,600 --> 01:04:37,640 Speaker 1: bell cow number one guy very quickly, and he started 1373 01:04:37,720 --> 01:04:39,720 Speaker 1: figuring it out on the back half of the twenty 1374 01:04:39,760 --> 01:04:43,240 Speaker 1: twenty season. So coming into twenty twenty one, Jonathan Taylor 1375 01:04:43,480 --> 01:04:45,320 Speaker 1: knew what he was going to be expected to do 1376 01:04:45,360 --> 01:04:49,840 Speaker 1: and he welcomed that challenge in terms of being the guy. 1377 01:04:50,040 --> 01:04:54,120 Speaker 1: And you know, unfortunately, because of the injuries, we have 1378 01:04:54,200 --> 01:04:56,600 Speaker 1: seen two backs across the league. When you look at 1379 01:04:56,600 --> 01:04:58,840 Speaker 1: the situations that guys are dealing with right now, I mean, 1380 01:04:59,080 --> 01:05:02,040 Speaker 1: Derek Kenry currently on IR. You just see Christian McCaffrey 1381 01:05:02,320 --> 01:05:05,360 Speaker 1: lost through the season, Dalvin Cook is dealing with injuries. 1382 01:05:05,400 --> 01:05:08,840 Speaker 1: So when you look at backs, he is certainly, you know, 1383 01:05:08,840 --> 01:05:12,360 Speaker 1: one of the most reliable, dependable facts that you have. 1384 01:05:12,560 --> 01:05:15,040 Speaker 1: And he also one of the things that's interesting. This 1385 01:05:15,080 --> 01:05:18,440 Speaker 1: is something you know within the AFC South conversation, we 1386 01:05:18,520 --> 01:05:20,840 Speaker 1: always hear that Derek Henry gets better as the game 1387 01:05:20,880 --> 01:05:23,720 Speaker 1: goes on. That's a tendency that we've started to see 1388 01:05:23,840 --> 01:05:28,080 Speaker 1: Jonathan Taylor have this season. In particular, this guy does 1389 01:05:28,360 --> 01:05:31,480 Speaker 1: not get tired. We heard Chris Ballard, the general manager 1390 01:05:31,520 --> 01:05:33,440 Speaker 1: for the Colts, say he thinks he's one of the 1391 01:05:33,480 --> 01:05:36,600 Speaker 1: top five weapons in the league right now. And one 1392 01:05:36,640 --> 01:05:39,360 Speaker 1: of the things that's really encouraging to him is just 1393 01:05:39,520 --> 01:05:43,240 Speaker 1: to see the growing confidence that Jonathan Taylor has within 1394 01:05:43,320 --> 01:05:47,360 Speaker 1: this offense and also the situations that they're putting him in. 1395 01:05:47,400 --> 01:05:50,240 Speaker 1: When you think about late in the game against the Bucks, 1396 01:05:50,480 --> 01:05:52,680 Speaker 1: the Colts needed a score, where do they go? They 1397 01:05:52,680 --> 01:05:54,480 Speaker 1: went straight to the hands of Jonathan Taylor and he 1398 01:05:54,520 --> 01:05:58,120 Speaker 1: got them right back into that ballgame. Late. Yeah, he 1399 01:05:58,400 --> 01:06:00,440 Speaker 1: didn't rush for as many yards in that Bucks game, 1400 01:06:00,440 --> 01:06:02,800 Speaker 1: and he had about as half as many carries as 1401 01:06:02,800 --> 01:06:05,840 Speaker 1: he did in that Bucks loss versus how many carries 1402 01:06:05,880 --> 01:06:08,800 Speaker 1: he had he had thirty two carries against the bills 1403 01:06:08,840 --> 01:06:11,960 Speaker 1: of a week earlier. How do you explain that as 1404 01:06:11,960 --> 01:06:14,280 Speaker 1: far as his workload, you know, is it a matter 1405 01:06:14,320 --> 01:06:17,120 Speaker 1: of not putting him in as as hard in it 1406 01:06:17,240 --> 01:06:19,000 Speaker 1: for as many carries as you did the week before 1407 01:06:19,040 --> 01:06:20,480 Speaker 1: as it had a week to week sort of a plan. 1408 01:06:20,560 --> 01:06:22,360 Speaker 1: Or do you see Frank Reich sort of bouncing back 1409 01:06:22,360 --> 01:06:24,480 Speaker 1: and just letting him carry the rock for as many 1410 01:06:24,480 --> 01:06:27,600 Speaker 1: times as possible here when they face the Texans. This 1411 01:06:27,680 --> 01:06:31,120 Speaker 1: is a very hot topic around Indianapolis and has been, 1412 01:06:31,160 --> 01:06:33,960 Speaker 1: you know, for the last forty eight hours post game 1413 01:06:34,120 --> 01:06:36,840 Speaker 1: in that a lot of people were pointing to why 1414 01:06:36,960 --> 01:06:40,440 Speaker 1: Jonathan didn't get more carries in that game. And if 1415 01:06:40,440 --> 01:06:43,080 Speaker 1: you go back to Frank Reich's Monday press conference, he 1416 01:06:43,120 --> 01:06:46,240 Speaker 1: gave a very linky opening statement and we don't often 1417 01:06:46,360 --> 01:06:50,439 Speaker 1: see this just level of transparency from head coaches where 1418 01:06:50,600 --> 01:06:53,080 Speaker 1: they really opened up the book and they explain to you, Okay, 1419 01:06:53,080 --> 01:06:56,040 Speaker 1: I know a lot of people are questioning why Jonathan 1420 01:06:56,240 --> 01:06:58,800 Speaker 1: didn't see more touches over the course of that game, 1421 01:06:59,080 --> 01:07:02,120 Speaker 1: especially you know, except quarter on Okay, here's why, here's 1422 01:07:02,120 --> 01:07:03,960 Speaker 1: a situation, what we were dealing with, and he went 1423 01:07:04,320 --> 01:07:07,920 Speaker 1: through a full explanation. A lot of those were RPO situations, 1424 01:07:07,920 --> 01:07:10,280 Speaker 1: and what they were doing is taking what the defense 1425 01:07:10,320 --> 01:07:12,800 Speaker 1: gave them. Be mindful. The Bucks are one of the 1426 01:07:12,840 --> 01:07:16,880 Speaker 1: top run defenses in the entire NFL. They have massive 1427 01:07:16,920 --> 01:07:20,400 Speaker 1: playmakers up front. They got Vita Vea back in this game. 1428 01:07:20,480 --> 01:07:23,760 Speaker 1: You saw the disruption he was able to have upfront. 1429 01:07:23,840 --> 01:07:26,360 Speaker 1: So this was a defense that was out to prove 1430 01:07:26,600 --> 01:07:30,000 Speaker 1: we are not letting happen to us what we saw 1431 01:07:30,080 --> 01:07:33,160 Speaker 1: happen to the Buffalo Bills defense one week ago. They 1432 01:07:33,160 --> 01:07:35,640 Speaker 1: had a great scheme for it, and one thing that 1433 01:07:35,680 --> 01:07:37,880 Speaker 1: Frank Greet explained was that they had a lot of 1434 01:07:37,920 --> 01:07:40,880 Speaker 1: loaded boxes. They were really prepared to stop the run. 1435 01:07:40,920 --> 01:07:42,360 Speaker 1: They knew that the Cults were going to try to 1436 01:07:42,360 --> 01:07:45,080 Speaker 1: do that, so the Colts were forced to go to 1437 01:07:45,240 --> 01:07:48,360 Speaker 1: more of a passing offense. And one of the explanations 1438 01:07:48,360 --> 01:07:50,160 Speaker 1: that Frank Wright gave us, I really wish I would 1439 01:07:50,200 --> 01:07:53,040 Speaker 1: have passed it a little bit sooner, because they were 1440 01:07:53,200 --> 01:07:55,560 Speaker 1: very productive in the first half. Carson Wentz had three 1441 01:07:55,600 --> 01:07:58,360 Speaker 1: touchdown passes in the first half. That's the first time 1442 01:07:58,400 --> 01:08:01,960 Speaker 1: he's done that since twenty seven. Team Ashton Doolan too, I, Hilton, 1443 01:08:02,040 --> 01:08:04,160 Speaker 1: Jack Doyle all got in the end zone in the 1444 01:08:04,240 --> 01:08:07,520 Speaker 1: first half, so they were seeing production in that regard. 1445 01:08:07,560 --> 01:08:10,360 Speaker 1: It really is such a credit to Tampa Bay and 1446 01:08:10,400 --> 01:08:14,200 Speaker 1: their outstanding defense. Let's not forget what that defense did 1447 01:08:14,280 --> 01:08:17,200 Speaker 1: in the Super Bowl one year ago what they're capable 1448 01:08:17,240 --> 01:08:20,200 Speaker 1: of doing. So what the Colts have to do two things. 1449 01:08:20,280 --> 01:08:22,400 Speaker 1: They have to find ways to win in multiple ways. 1450 01:08:22,439 --> 01:08:24,120 Speaker 1: They have to be able to pass the ball and 1451 01:08:24,200 --> 01:08:26,280 Speaker 1: be productive in the passing game when they don't have 1452 01:08:26,360 --> 01:08:28,040 Speaker 1: Jonathan Taylor. And then they also have to do a 1453 01:08:28,080 --> 01:08:30,960 Speaker 1: better job of closing out games when they are able 1454 01:08:30,960 --> 01:08:32,880 Speaker 1: to build leads. They've got to do a better job 1455 01:08:33,160 --> 01:08:36,040 Speaker 1: of sustaining leads, holding on to second half leads when 1456 01:08:36,040 --> 01:08:38,200 Speaker 1: they are able to build those up. And a lot 1457 01:08:38,240 --> 01:08:41,320 Speaker 1: of that comes down to maturity and experience, and we're 1458 01:08:41,360 --> 01:08:44,679 Speaker 1: starting to see this Indianapolis Colts team be a team 1459 01:08:44,720 --> 01:08:47,719 Speaker 1: that is on the upward trajectory. I think Carson Wentz 1460 01:08:47,720 --> 01:08:49,760 Speaker 1: is going to play his best football in December. Yeah. 1461 01:08:49,800 --> 01:08:51,519 Speaker 1: I was going to ask you about Carson Wentz because 1462 01:08:51,520 --> 01:08:53,200 Speaker 1: the last time these two teams faced off, he was 1463 01:08:53,240 --> 01:08:56,200 Speaker 1: still sort of dealing with the double ankle sprain, and 1464 01:08:56,280 --> 01:08:59,160 Speaker 1: it looks like that's just a far distant memory for him. 1465 01:08:59,240 --> 01:09:02,040 Speaker 1: His mobile, he looks better. He looks better overall. What 1466 01:09:02,040 --> 01:09:05,000 Speaker 1: about his chemistry with the receivers. It's hard to believe that, 1467 01:09:05,280 --> 01:09:07,920 Speaker 1: you know, the Colts have had different starting quarterback every 1468 01:09:07,920 --> 01:09:10,360 Speaker 1: single year for the past several years. But how has 1469 01:09:10,479 --> 01:09:13,720 Speaker 1: his chemistry come along here through this many games here 1470 01:09:13,760 --> 01:09:16,160 Speaker 1: now heading into the final stretch of the season. I 1471 01:09:16,160 --> 01:09:19,559 Speaker 1: think the chemistry was well well illustrated in this game 1472 01:09:19,680 --> 01:09:22,479 Speaker 1: against Tampa Bay early on when you saw the targets 1473 01:09:22,520 --> 01:09:25,200 Speaker 1: to the two most veteran guys in your locker room 1474 01:09:25,280 --> 01:09:27,639 Speaker 1: in Jack Doyle and t Y Hilton, if you can 1475 01:09:27,720 --> 01:09:30,000 Speaker 1: believe it. I know this is probably something that Texans 1476 01:09:30,000 --> 01:09:32,240 Speaker 1: fans don't really want to be reminded of, but it 1477 01:09:32,280 --> 01:09:33,960 Speaker 1: was the first time that t Y Hilton got in 1478 01:09:33,960 --> 01:09:35,880 Speaker 1: the end zone all year because he's dealt with all 1479 01:09:35,920 --> 01:09:38,559 Speaker 1: of the injuries coming back from the next surgery which 1480 01:09:38,560 --> 01:09:40,759 Speaker 1: cost him, you know, the early part of this season. 1481 01:09:41,000 --> 01:09:43,680 Speaker 1: So t Y Hilton seems to be coming into you know, 1482 01:09:43,800 --> 01:09:45,920 Speaker 1: vintage t Y Hilton forum when you saw him on 1483 01:09:45,960 --> 01:09:49,599 Speaker 1: that touchdown against Tampa Bay. So you saw him clicking 1484 01:09:49,840 --> 01:09:52,120 Speaker 1: with the two most veteran guys on the roster when 1485 01:09:52,160 --> 01:09:54,519 Speaker 1: place needed to be made. He went to, you know, 1486 01:09:54,640 --> 01:09:57,600 Speaker 1: the ten year had nine year veteran in t Y 1487 01:09:57,760 --> 01:10:00,040 Speaker 1: and in Jack and then also you know had a 1488 01:10:00,160 --> 01:10:03,760 Speaker 1: incredible touchdown to Ashton Dulan. And Ashton Duelan is the 1489 01:10:03,800 --> 01:10:06,800 Speaker 1: guy who was undrafted, kind of overlooked in a lot 1490 01:10:06,840 --> 01:10:09,800 Speaker 1: of situations, made the roster in Indianapolis because of his 1491 01:10:09,960 --> 01:10:13,600 Speaker 1: impact on special teams. And I mean he had an 1492 01:10:13,640 --> 01:10:17,760 Speaker 1: remarkable explosive play from Carson Wentz in that game. We 1493 01:10:17,840 --> 01:10:20,280 Speaker 1: are starting to see Carson gain a lot of confidence, 1494 01:10:20,360 --> 01:10:22,800 Speaker 1: not only in how he's clicking with his receivers, but 1495 01:10:22,920 --> 01:10:25,599 Speaker 1: also in the opportunities when he's been able to gain 1496 01:10:25,640 --> 01:10:28,479 Speaker 1: ground with his feet. We saw him in Buffalo takeoff 1497 01:10:28,479 --> 01:10:30,880 Speaker 1: and run on third down and get an eighteen yard gain. 1498 01:10:31,320 --> 01:10:34,280 Speaker 1: And I asked to Holton about this, and he said 1499 01:10:34,320 --> 01:10:38,080 Speaker 1: that that just brings this mentality of physicality to the 1500 01:10:38,120 --> 01:10:40,599 Speaker 1: offense when you see him willing to kind of take 1501 01:10:40,600 --> 01:10:44,160 Speaker 1: those risks and sacrifice himself. He said, when quoting to 1502 01:10:44,640 --> 01:10:47,720 Speaker 1: when you see Deuce take off, it fires everybody up. 1503 01:10:47,760 --> 01:10:50,000 Speaker 1: When you see that from your quarterback. And one of 1504 01:10:50,040 --> 01:10:52,160 Speaker 1: the things that Ty told me was, I think when 1505 01:10:52,200 --> 01:10:55,120 Speaker 1: he was most proud of Carson wasn't so much the 1506 01:10:55,479 --> 01:10:56,880 Speaker 1: yard and she was able to gain, but the fact 1507 01:10:56,880 --> 01:10:59,800 Speaker 1: that he actually slid on that play and was able 1508 01:10:59,840 --> 01:11:02,960 Speaker 1: to be smart when he went down. And we are 1509 01:11:03,040 --> 01:11:05,599 Speaker 1: seeing we've seen, really over the course of the season 1510 01:11:05,600 --> 01:11:09,719 Speaker 1: of budding chemistry in particular with Carson Wentz and Michael 1511 01:11:09,760 --> 01:11:12,080 Speaker 1: Pittman Junior. A lot of the attention from the twenty 1512 01:11:12,120 --> 01:11:15,200 Speaker 1: twenty draft class certainly goes to Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman 1513 01:11:15,280 --> 01:11:17,439 Speaker 1: Junior has deserved a lot of that. He was one 1514 01:11:17,479 --> 01:11:19,920 Speaker 1: of the most productive wide receivers in the league on 1515 01:11:20,040 --> 01:11:24,400 Speaker 1: third down. The Bucks completely shut that down on Sunday. 1516 01:11:24,439 --> 01:11:26,439 Speaker 1: They knew those key playmakers who they were going to 1517 01:11:26,520 --> 01:11:30,280 Speaker 1: be targeting. But in most situations, we have seen Carson 1518 01:11:30,360 --> 01:11:33,640 Speaker 1: have a ton of confidence, especially in third down situations 1519 01:11:33,880 --> 01:11:36,679 Speaker 1: in Michael Pittman's ability to win the fifty fifty ball. 1520 01:11:36,880 --> 01:11:39,040 Speaker 1: When you go back to the Sunday Night football win 1521 01:11:39,080 --> 01:11:41,360 Speaker 1: in San Francisco, that was one of the more impressive 1522 01:11:41,400 --> 01:11:45,320 Speaker 1: things to me was how frequently Carson targeted Michael Pittman 1523 01:11:45,439 --> 01:11:48,479 Speaker 1: Junior in those types of situations, and not only when 1524 01:11:48,520 --> 01:11:51,840 Speaker 1: Pittman was able to make the grabs and critical situations, 1525 01:11:51,840 --> 01:11:54,600 Speaker 1: but also the way he was able to really frustrate 1526 01:11:54,680 --> 01:11:58,000 Speaker 1: defenders and draw some pivotal DPI calls as well that 1527 01:11:58,520 --> 01:12:01,640 Speaker 1: gave the Colts valuable yard in those situations. So I 1528 01:12:01,680 --> 01:12:05,559 Speaker 1: think that to me, seeing really Michael Pittman's emergence over 1529 01:12:05,600 --> 01:12:08,960 Speaker 1: the course of this season is indicative of how Carson 1530 01:12:09,040 --> 01:12:10,719 Speaker 1: is starting to bring out the best and the guys 1531 01:12:10,760 --> 01:12:13,080 Speaker 1: for surrounding him in these weapons. He has an offense, 1532 01:12:13,479 --> 01:12:15,920 Speaker 1: all right, Well, let's switch gears and talk defense. Darius 1533 01:12:16,040 --> 01:12:20,479 Speaker 1: Leonard through twelve games has ten forced turnovers. What can 1534 01:12:20,520 --> 01:12:22,439 Speaker 1: you say about him? I know he's the team captain, 1535 01:12:22,560 --> 01:12:25,200 Speaker 1: but how impressed with him are you on his ability 1536 01:12:25,240 --> 01:12:27,439 Speaker 1: to get to the ball and why do you think 1537 01:12:27,439 --> 01:12:30,840 Speaker 1: he's been so successful in getting those takeaways this year? Well, DP, 1538 01:12:30,960 --> 01:12:33,600 Speaker 1: when we talk about earlier, you mentioned Carson Wentz was 1539 01:12:33,640 --> 01:12:36,759 Speaker 1: hampered with those two ankle sprains. Darius Leonard is dealing 1540 01:12:36,760 --> 01:12:39,120 Speaker 1: with a severe ankle sprain. He had surgery in the 1541 01:12:39,160 --> 01:12:42,920 Speaker 1: offseason back in June, and it doesn't really seem that 1542 01:12:43,040 --> 01:12:46,760 Speaker 1: he has ever felt fully healthy. I'm not sure he 1543 01:12:46,840 --> 01:12:48,880 Speaker 1: has played a single game in which he has been 1544 01:12:48,920 --> 01:12:51,840 Speaker 1: able to completely rely on that angle that he is 1545 01:12:51,880 --> 01:12:55,240 Speaker 1: battling through right now. So to me, that amplifies the 1546 01:12:55,280 --> 01:12:59,080 Speaker 1: impressiveness of the takeaways, the disruption that we have seen 1547 01:12:59,120 --> 01:13:01,240 Speaker 1: from Darius. Leonard's what you've come to expect from a 1548 01:13:01,280 --> 01:13:05,559 Speaker 1: guy who is fittingly known as the maniac. But what 1549 01:13:05,680 --> 01:13:08,320 Speaker 1: he is able to do is put this defense on 1550 01:13:08,360 --> 01:13:12,439 Speaker 1: his shoulders and carry them in situations where you need 1551 01:13:12,479 --> 01:13:15,400 Speaker 1: those type of takeaways made. I mean, certainly you look too. 1552 01:13:15,439 --> 01:13:17,880 Speaker 1: I think the pillars of this defense. Not only do 1553 01:13:17,920 --> 01:13:20,120 Speaker 1: you look at at Darius Deforce Buckner as one of those. 1554 01:13:20,200 --> 01:13:23,519 Speaker 1: Kenny Moore is another. Those are kind of the three 1555 01:13:23,640 --> 01:13:26,439 Speaker 1: people who you really think to be the biggest leaders 1556 01:13:26,840 --> 01:13:29,920 Speaker 1: within that defense. I put Zaire Franklin in that conversation 1557 01:13:30,439 --> 01:13:33,560 Speaker 1: as well. So to me, Darius is such a competitor 1558 01:13:33,880 --> 01:13:37,439 Speaker 1: that he has not let everything that has kind of 1559 01:13:37,439 --> 01:13:39,840 Speaker 1: been nagging him over the course of this season hold 1560 01:13:39,920 --> 01:13:42,640 Speaker 1: him back from the type of production that he expects 1561 01:13:42,960 --> 01:13:45,320 Speaker 1: to have of himself. He holds himself to a very 1562 01:13:45,400 --> 01:13:48,040 Speaker 1: high standard. This is a defense that was pretty bold. 1563 01:13:48,120 --> 01:13:51,000 Speaker 1: In training camp. They said we want forty takeaways this year, 1564 01:13:51,080 --> 01:13:54,519 Speaker 1: forty plus takeaways was the goal that they put out there, 1565 01:13:54,520 --> 01:13:55,880 Speaker 1: and they knew that was going to have to be 1566 01:13:56,160 --> 01:13:59,000 Speaker 1: a buy committee effort in order to do that. Yeah, 1567 01:13:59,160 --> 01:14:01,240 Speaker 1: you're going to need your big guys like a Darius 1568 01:14:01,360 --> 01:14:04,200 Speaker 1: Leonard to certainly lead that charge. But we have seen 1569 01:14:04,280 --> 01:14:07,160 Speaker 1: more guys step up. We saw Isaiah Rodgers step up 1570 01:14:07,160 --> 01:14:09,680 Speaker 1: with a big interception last week and one of the 1571 01:14:09,960 --> 01:14:13,040 Speaker 1: When you think about Darius's playmaking ability, a lot of 1572 01:14:13,080 --> 01:14:16,519 Speaker 1: people turn to the punch outs, you know, which he 1573 01:14:16,600 --> 01:14:19,240 Speaker 1: has called the maniac knockout is what he has coined 1574 01:14:19,240 --> 01:14:21,639 Speaker 1: it to be, similar to a peanut punch, as we 1575 01:14:21,880 --> 01:14:24,599 Speaker 1: know from Peanut Tilman in his days in the Chicago Airs. 1576 01:14:24,800 --> 01:14:27,880 Speaker 1: But when I talked to Darius about his ability to 1577 01:14:28,000 --> 01:14:30,280 Speaker 1: punch the ball out, his ability to strip the ball 1578 01:14:30,320 --> 01:14:33,880 Speaker 1: away from ball carriers, he said that this is more 1579 01:14:34,000 --> 01:14:36,280 Speaker 1: mental than anything. A lot of people think that it 1580 01:14:36,400 --> 01:14:40,240 Speaker 1: is physical ability or skill. He studies the film of 1581 01:14:40,439 --> 01:14:43,919 Speaker 1: every single person that touches the ball on the opposing offense. 1582 01:14:44,120 --> 01:14:46,719 Speaker 1: He looks at how they carry, what their tendencies are, 1583 01:14:46,880 --> 01:14:50,439 Speaker 1: what their fumble history is. He spends an immense about 1584 01:14:50,520 --> 01:14:53,679 Speaker 1: amount of time studying these factors in order to create 1585 01:14:53,720 --> 01:14:56,439 Speaker 1: the opportunities, and we saw one against the Tampa Bay 1586 01:14:56,439 --> 01:14:59,200 Speaker 1: Buccaneers in which Darius was able to do exactly that. 1587 01:14:59,360 --> 01:15:02,479 Speaker 1: So this is something that Darius really prides himself on, 1588 01:15:02,880 --> 01:15:06,240 Speaker 1: not solely for his production numbers, but knowing what does 1589 01:15:06,320 --> 01:15:10,320 Speaker 1: defense wants to do and continue that streak of takeaway 1590 01:15:10,320 --> 01:15:12,800 Speaker 1: opportunities that they have going back to the end of 1591 01:15:12,800 --> 01:15:15,720 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty season. The thing is, when you have 1592 01:15:15,800 --> 01:15:18,360 Speaker 1: the defense that's creating those opportunities, you also have to 1593 01:15:18,360 --> 01:15:21,000 Speaker 1: be opportunistic on the offensive side of the ball and 1594 01:15:21,040 --> 01:15:24,760 Speaker 1: continue to capitalize on those. Yeah, the peanut punch, We're 1595 01:15:24,800 --> 01:15:27,600 Speaker 1: familiar with it. Levi Smith bringing that down here to 1596 01:15:27,640 --> 01:15:30,920 Speaker 1: Houston from his days in Chicago coaching Peanut Telman. All right, Lara, 1597 01:15:30,960 --> 01:15:32,320 Speaker 1: before I let you go, I got to ask you 1598 01:15:32,360 --> 01:15:34,760 Speaker 1: about Hard Knocks. We saw that announcement come down. So 1599 01:15:34,760 --> 01:15:37,719 Speaker 1: the first time Hard Knocks is filming in season, which 1600 01:15:37,760 --> 01:15:40,479 Speaker 1: is super exciting for fans. I don't know if it's 1601 01:15:40,520 --> 01:15:43,440 Speaker 1: super exciting for the teams because that seems quite invasive 1602 01:15:43,439 --> 01:15:45,960 Speaker 1: to have all those camera crews in the locker room 1603 01:15:46,000 --> 01:15:48,040 Speaker 1: in the middle of the season. And oh, by the way, 1604 01:15:48,080 --> 01:15:51,519 Speaker 1: I'm sure, coaches don't really love to have all the 1605 01:15:51,560 --> 01:15:53,400 Speaker 1: cameras and the crew around them while they're trying to 1606 01:15:53,400 --> 01:15:55,920 Speaker 1: game plan. But what's that experience been. Like you guys 1607 01:15:55,960 --> 01:15:57,960 Speaker 1: are the first to try it out. It has been 1608 01:15:58,040 --> 01:16:03,200 Speaker 1: so interesting and it's exciting interesting it it's definitely been 1609 01:16:03,240 --> 01:16:06,719 Speaker 1: interesting basically because you think about, you know, the dynamic 1610 01:16:06,720 --> 01:16:08,840 Speaker 1: of you have your in house production. I mean, like 1611 01:16:08,880 --> 01:16:10,640 Speaker 1: you guys do you guys do a fantastic job with 1612 01:16:10,760 --> 01:16:14,120 Speaker 1: their own docuseries and all the internal content that you 1613 01:16:14,120 --> 01:16:16,840 Speaker 1: guys are putting out there. So we have a lot 1614 01:16:16,880 --> 01:16:19,960 Speaker 1: of collaboration of course between NFL Films and what we're 1615 01:16:20,000 --> 01:16:23,080 Speaker 1: gathering and what they're gathering. So it has been a 1616 01:16:23,080 --> 01:16:26,960 Speaker 1: fantastic process from that regard. And when Frank Craig was 1617 01:16:27,000 --> 01:16:30,320 Speaker 1: asked about the Colts being, you know, put on this 1618 01:16:30,600 --> 01:16:33,679 Speaker 1: platform and having this spotlight of Hard Knocks, he said, 1619 01:16:33,760 --> 01:16:36,280 Speaker 1: you know, they've been approached about Hard Knocks in the 1620 01:16:36,320 --> 01:16:38,920 Speaker 1: past doing this, and he said he felt like that 1621 01:16:39,000 --> 01:16:40,920 Speaker 1: this was a point where when he was approached by 1622 01:16:41,040 --> 01:16:43,680 Speaker 1: Colts owner Jim Orsay and general manager Chris Ballard, he 1623 01:16:43,760 --> 01:16:45,880 Speaker 1: felt like that there was the maturity within the locker 1624 01:16:45,960 --> 01:16:48,080 Speaker 1: room that you need to be able to handle this. 1625 01:16:48,200 --> 01:16:52,120 Speaker 1: He thought it was an exciting opportunity to spotlight his guys, 1626 01:16:52,240 --> 01:16:54,400 Speaker 1: not only in terms of the players they are, but 1627 01:16:54,479 --> 01:16:56,479 Speaker 1: more so who they are off the field, all the 1628 01:16:56,520 --> 01:17:00,479 Speaker 1: work that they do within this central Indiana community. Spot 1629 01:17:00,560 --> 01:17:02,880 Speaker 1: light on who they are, you know, as family guys, 1630 01:17:02,960 --> 01:17:07,360 Speaker 1: as fathers, as husbands, and you know, for Indianapolis to 1631 01:17:07,439 --> 01:17:09,800 Speaker 1: long be regarded as one of the and I hate 1632 01:17:09,840 --> 01:17:13,439 Speaker 1: this phrase, but quote unquote smaller market teams, this is 1633 01:17:13,479 --> 01:17:17,360 Speaker 1: a huge opportunity for the rest of not just the league, 1634 01:17:17,360 --> 01:17:19,880 Speaker 1: because I think that the league is well aware of 1635 01:17:19,920 --> 01:17:23,120 Speaker 1: the Indianapolis Colts, but you know, for casual football fans 1636 01:17:23,160 --> 01:17:26,639 Speaker 1: to learn a bit more about the organization and about 1637 01:17:26,680 --> 01:17:29,240 Speaker 1: these guys. And you know, coach Reich has an incredible 1638 01:17:29,280 --> 01:17:33,000 Speaker 1: story from his Buffalo playing days. I mean, his long 1639 01:17:33,040 --> 01:17:35,840 Speaker 1: tenure career as a backup in Buffalo, the success he 1640 01:17:35,880 --> 01:17:39,439 Speaker 1: had leading the greatest comeback in NFL history, and then 1641 01:17:39,520 --> 01:17:42,320 Speaker 1: translating that over to being a head coach and getting 1642 01:17:42,320 --> 01:17:46,280 Speaker 1: the opportunity with the Indianapolis Colts and bringing in Carson Wentz. 1643 01:17:46,280 --> 01:17:50,040 Speaker 1: There are some very interesting storylines and dynamics that there are, 1644 01:17:50,080 --> 01:17:52,040 Speaker 1: and I mean, what a season for them to come 1645 01:17:52,080 --> 01:17:55,479 Speaker 1: in with the way that this whole season started out, 1646 01:17:55,760 --> 01:17:58,360 Speaker 1: you know, going down oh and three, fighting their way back, 1647 01:17:58,439 --> 01:18:01,639 Speaker 1: beating Buffalo, and now have you know this climb which 1648 01:18:01,720 --> 01:18:04,320 Speaker 1: is seven the famous mantra of Frank Reich, you know, 1649 01:18:04,720 --> 01:18:07,600 Speaker 1: climbing the mountain is. But how he sees and illustrates 1650 01:18:07,680 --> 01:18:09,560 Speaker 1: the season. Now you're trying to see this through the 1651 01:18:09,600 --> 01:18:12,000 Speaker 1: month of December, it's gonna be really interesting to see 1652 01:18:12,040 --> 01:18:15,280 Speaker 1: the stories that they tell that compliment what this team 1653 01:18:15,320 --> 01:18:17,679 Speaker 1: is battling on the field and kind of how they're 1654 01:18:17,720 --> 01:18:21,920 Speaker 1: all giving this some additional flavor from outside with the 1655 01:18:21,920 --> 01:18:25,439 Speaker 1: different perspectives that they're able to show. And it's fun. 1656 01:18:25,680 --> 01:18:27,800 Speaker 1: It really one of the things that I've loved is 1657 01:18:28,240 --> 01:18:30,640 Speaker 1: being in the meeting rooms hearing some of those conversations 1658 01:18:30,640 --> 01:18:32,960 Speaker 1: that are happening, because you know, we know what game 1659 01:18:33,040 --> 01:18:34,880 Speaker 1: days are, we know what the locker rooms are like. 1660 01:18:35,080 --> 01:18:38,360 Speaker 1: We're not necessarily from a in house production or from 1661 01:18:38,360 --> 01:18:41,280 Speaker 1: being team reporters. That's not showing us anything much different 1662 01:18:41,320 --> 01:18:44,080 Speaker 1: than what we have come to expect. But when you 1663 01:18:44,120 --> 01:18:47,080 Speaker 1: really get that valuable insight when you hear Scottie Montgomery 1664 01:18:47,160 --> 01:18:50,040 Speaker 1: talking to Chris Ballard Scotty Montgomery, the running backs coach. 1665 01:18:50,200 --> 01:18:52,719 Speaker 1: He and Ballard are talking about the production of Jonathan Taylor. 1666 01:18:52,920 --> 01:18:55,760 Speaker 1: Brian Baker, the defensive line coaches talking about the task 1667 01:18:55,840 --> 01:18:58,799 Speaker 1: that they have, or you know, Bubba Ventrone is famously 1668 01:18:58,920 --> 01:19:02,679 Speaker 1: roasting guys on special teams. He had a guy who 1669 01:19:02,720 --> 01:19:05,120 Speaker 1: was on the kick return who ended up like taking 1670 01:19:05,120 --> 01:19:08,000 Speaker 1: a tumble. And it's fun because you get to see 1671 01:19:08,320 --> 01:19:11,360 Speaker 1: a lot of what these guys love about the game, 1672 01:19:11,840 --> 01:19:14,840 Speaker 1: aside from playing games together, aside from the time that 1673 01:19:14,880 --> 01:19:16,680 Speaker 1: they're all on in the field. You see how much 1674 01:19:16,680 --> 01:19:19,760 Speaker 1: of the camaraderie that is built outside out in terms 1675 01:19:19,760 --> 01:19:21,559 Speaker 1: of meeting rooms, in terms of just being around one 1676 01:19:21,560 --> 01:19:23,360 Speaker 1: another and then being out and doing a lot of 1677 01:19:23,360 --> 01:19:25,479 Speaker 1: work within the community. Yeah, I think that's one of 1678 01:19:25,520 --> 01:19:27,559 Speaker 1: the things I loved most when Hard Knox was here, 1679 01:19:27,600 --> 01:19:31,840 Speaker 1: just seeing those conversations, the normal everyday work conversations that 1680 01:19:31,880 --> 01:19:34,040 Speaker 1: were not privy too. We see the players and everybody 1681 01:19:34,040 --> 01:19:37,480 Speaker 1: when they're in front of the media, but behind closed doors, coaches, 1682 01:19:38,040 --> 01:19:41,200 Speaker 1: the front office, what they're talking about. It's always fascinating. 1683 01:19:41,200 --> 01:19:43,559 Speaker 1: It's even more fascinating that it's in season. So some 1684 01:19:43,640 --> 01:19:46,240 Speaker 1: great storylines for Hard Knocks, some great storylines heading into 1685 01:19:46,280 --> 01:19:49,519 Speaker 1: Sunday's game, Lara appreciate the time as always and looking 1686 01:19:49,560 --> 01:19:51,400 Speaker 1: forward to the game. Looking forward to as well. Thanks 1687 01:19:51,400 --> 01:19:53,960 Speaker 1: for having me, oh man, I keep forgetting about that 1688 01:19:54,080 --> 01:19:56,320 Speaker 1: Hard Knocks angle. I watched the first episode in our 1689 01:19:56,320 --> 01:20:00,400 Speaker 1: flight to take on Tennessee and I watched that first episode. 1690 01:20:00,400 --> 01:20:02,960 Speaker 1: I thought it was good. In seasons a little different. 1691 01:20:03,000 --> 01:20:05,200 Speaker 1: I like the way the HBO kind of set things up. 1692 01:20:05,240 --> 01:20:09,280 Speaker 1: They showed a special teams meeting and talked about Bubba Ventrone, 1693 01:20:09,280 --> 01:20:12,479 Speaker 1: who is the special Teams coach. He talked about Zaire Franklin. 1694 01:20:12,520 --> 01:20:14,400 Speaker 1: He said, look, I think he can get one in. Zaire, 1695 01:20:14,479 --> 01:20:16,160 Speaker 1: I think you're the guy to get it in the 1696 01:20:16,240 --> 01:20:19,320 Speaker 1: game Zara Franklin blocked it and the cults were able 1697 01:20:19,320 --> 01:20:20,680 Speaker 1: to pick it up EJ speed and get to the 1698 01:20:20,720 --> 01:20:22,680 Speaker 1: end zone. And it was just interesting kind of the 1699 01:20:22,680 --> 01:20:25,760 Speaker 1: foreshadowing bringing all that in. So it was really kind 1700 01:20:25,760 --> 01:20:27,519 Speaker 1: of a neat episode. So I can't wait to see 1701 01:20:27,720 --> 01:20:30,400 Speaker 1: the next few. And of course it's sexans well I 1702 01:20:30,400 --> 01:20:35,439 Speaker 1: would imagine be featured in subway shape or form on this. 1703 01:20:35,760 --> 01:20:37,519 Speaker 1: I don't think it's to be this next episode, but 1704 01:20:37,640 --> 01:20:40,400 Speaker 1: maybe one down the road next not this week's but 1705 01:20:40,479 --> 01:20:43,360 Speaker 1: next week's potentially, so looking forward to seeing how the 1706 01:20:43,400 --> 01:20:46,000 Speaker 1: Colts prepare for the Texans. All right, we gotta go 1707 01:20:46,000 --> 01:20:48,200 Speaker 1: around the NFL as we finish up right here on 1708 01:20:48,280 --> 01:20:55,360 Speaker 1: a Wednesday, Nation of Texans All Access. We got one 1709 01:20:55,479 --> 01:20:58,720 Speaker 1: final segment this Wednesday. They showed Texans All Access. I 1710 01:20:58,760 --> 01:21:01,640 Speaker 1: am John Harris, your glad to be with you and 1711 01:21:01,760 --> 01:21:06,240 Speaker 1: love to jop a little statistical knowledge on you, and 1712 01:21:06,439 --> 01:21:10,120 Speaker 1: I will with the Schlumberge Stats Challenge. To take the 1713 01:21:10,200 --> 01:21:13,720 Speaker 1: Schlumberge Stats Challenge, go to use Texans dot com to 1714 01:21:14,000 --> 01:21:17,800 Speaker 1: learn more. All right, here it is, and I don't 1715 01:21:17,840 --> 01:21:21,200 Speaker 1: really understand this all that much, but there is a 1716 01:21:21,439 --> 01:21:25,519 Speaker 1: there's a stat out there called DVOA. You've probably heard 1717 01:21:25,760 --> 01:21:28,679 Speaker 1: Seth Payne talk about it. My man Mike Meltry's talking 1718 01:21:28,680 --> 01:21:31,200 Speaker 1: about all the time. I don't really like the analytics, 1719 01:21:31,240 --> 01:21:33,320 Speaker 1: some of the analytics stuff, I don't even like what 1720 01:21:33,360 --> 01:21:38,000 Speaker 1: does that mean? I just know that the higher you 1721 01:21:38,040 --> 01:21:40,839 Speaker 1: are on DVOA, it's better than just looking at yards. 1722 01:21:41,200 --> 01:21:43,240 Speaker 1: They give up one hundred yards. Okay, they give up 1723 01:21:43,240 --> 01:21:45,439 Speaker 1: one hundred yards like I can tangibly see a hundred yards. 1724 01:21:45,600 --> 01:21:47,479 Speaker 1: But DVOA brings in a lot of different things. I 1725 01:21:47,479 --> 01:21:51,519 Speaker 1: think it's a better and more true measurement of a 1726 01:21:51,600 --> 01:21:57,440 Speaker 1: particular unit office defense special teams. According to Football Outsiders 1727 01:21:57,520 --> 01:22:03,639 Speaker 1: with their rating a DVOA, the Techins are ninth two four, 1728 01:22:04,040 --> 01:22:10,400 Speaker 1: six eight, I'm sorry, eighth in DVOA in defense overall 1729 01:22:11,040 --> 01:22:15,160 Speaker 1: throughout the league. Buffalo, New England, Arizona, Dallas, New Orleans, 1730 01:22:15,600 --> 01:22:20,439 Speaker 1: Tampa Bay Carolina, your Texans one, two, three four or five, 1731 01:22:20,600 --> 01:22:26,120 Speaker 1: six seven eight eight eighth in the league in DVOA defense. 1732 01:22:26,800 --> 01:22:28,960 Speaker 1: And I know that sounds like, wait a second, it 1733 01:22:29,040 --> 01:22:32,120 Speaker 1: seems two and nine. How's the defense raded that? Well, 1734 01:22:32,600 --> 01:22:36,960 Speaker 1: there you go. It's a strictly numbers based I mean, 1735 01:22:37,040 --> 01:22:41,080 Speaker 1: I'm looking at there's way to DVA past DVOA. There's 1736 01:22:41,120 --> 01:22:44,599 Speaker 1: a category called DAVE. I don't even I don't know. 1737 01:22:44,760 --> 01:22:46,639 Speaker 1: I don't even know that I want to even try 1738 01:22:46,680 --> 01:22:51,440 Speaker 1: and explain what DVOA is. But essentially it's defense adjusted 1739 01:22:51,920 --> 01:22:58,000 Speaker 1: value over average, So they take a number of different 1740 01:22:58,040 --> 01:23:02,960 Speaker 1: aspects into it and come up with DVOA. They also 1741 01:23:03,000 --> 01:23:06,800 Speaker 1: have for twenty twenty one only DAVE DVOA adjusted for 1742 01:23:06,840 --> 01:23:12,720 Speaker 1: a variation early, so this is very stat geek Schlumberge 1743 01:23:12,920 --> 01:23:16,240 Speaker 1: Stats challenge type of stuff. But I know this, I 1744 01:23:16,320 --> 01:23:20,440 Speaker 1: know in DVOA, if you're up there pretty high in DVOA, 1745 01:23:20,760 --> 01:23:23,639 Speaker 1: you can feel pretty good about what that unit's doing. 1746 01:23:23,680 --> 01:23:25,519 Speaker 1: And I think people do feel good about what the 1747 01:23:25,560 --> 01:23:28,360 Speaker 1: Texans defenses do. We get the offense to match, and 1748 01:23:29,000 --> 01:23:32,720 Speaker 1: who knows what might happen at that particular moment. All right, 1749 01:23:32,800 --> 01:23:35,720 Speaker 1: let's go around the league and get some info to you. 1750 01:23:35,880 --> 01:23:40,160 Speaker 1: Some of this might matter as it pertains to fantasy football, 1751 01:23:40,240 --> 01:23:44,720 Speaker 1: in particular. Tomorrow night, Cowboys are taking on the Saints 1752 01:23:44,760 --> 01:23:51,920 Speaker 1: in Nolins. Taysom Hill we'll start at quarterback. Now I 1753 01:23:51,960 --> 01:23:54,760 Speaker 1: mentioned fantasy, I don't exactly know how Taysom Hill kind 1754 01:23:54,760 --> 01:23:57,639 Speaker 1: of fits into all of that. I don't the fact 1755 01:23:57,640 --> 01:23:59,760 Speaker 1: that he's playing quarterback. I would imagine you have to 1756 01:23:59,760 --> 01:24:02,920 Speaker 1: play him as your only quarterback. But just no, Taysom 1757 01:24:03,000 --> 01:24:05,799 Speaker 1: Hill is starting for the Saints, a team that started 1758 01:24:05,800 --> 01:24:10,320 Speaker 1: off gangbusters, but the last few weeks with Trevor Simeon 1759 01:24:10,439 --> 01:24:13,200 Speaker 1: after Jameis Winston, it's not gone well. Well, now it's 1760 01:24:13,200 --> 01:24:16,600 Speaker 1: Taysom hills opportunity against Dallas, one of those teams I 1761 01:24:16,640 --> 01:24:19,320 Speaker 1: just said, we're head of the Texans in Dvoa on 1762 01:24:19,560 --> 01:24:23,040 Speaker 1: defense in particular because they have Michael Parsons. So there's 1763 01:24:23,120 --> 01:24:28,400 Speaker 1: that the Seattle Seahawks needed some running back help. So 1764 01:24:28,439 --> 01:24:32,960 Speaker 1: the Texans might actually see Adrian Peterson for the second 1765 01:24:33,000 --> 01:24:35,320 Speaker 1: time in about four or five weeks because he assigned 1766 01:24:35,560 --> 01:24:39,120 Speaker 1: to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad. Now, in that game 1767 01:24:39,120 --> 01:24:42,400 Speaker 1: against Tennessee, it was very very clear Adrian Peterson is 1768 01:24:42,439 --> 01:24:46,880 Speaker 1: not Adrian Peterson like you remember. But the Seahawks, with 1769 01:24:47,000 --> 01:24:50,400 Speaker 1: Chris Carson down let other bodies down, they decided to 1770 01:24:50,439 --> 01:24:53,240 Speaker 1: go and get Adrian Peterson and see that he's got 1771 01:24:53,320 --> 01:24:57,280 Speaker 1: just a little bit left in the tank. And Daniel 1772 01:24:57,400 --> 01:25:02,640 Speaker 1: Jones not completely ruled out for week thirteen, but I 1773 01:25:02,640 --> 01:25:04,760 Speaker 1: think he's gonna be ruled out. He's ruled out for 1774 01:25:04,800 --> 01:25:06,720 Speaker 1: a neck injury, which is ironic because the guy who 1775 01:25:06,760 --> 01:25:09,439 Speaker 1: will start in his place is Mike Glenning with the 1776 01:25:09,479 --> 01:25:12,240 Speaker 1: longest neck known to man. Con So there you go 1777 01:25:12,640 --> 01:25:17,240 Speaker 1: tonight's show. Really appreciate Mark and Nick Casserio and DP 1778 01:25:17,360 --> 01:25:22,879 Speaker 1: Cito and Lara Overton and Drew Doherty and Mike Taylor 1779 01:25:24,000 --> 01:25:26,640 Speaker 1: through my man Chris Santiago back in studio, all you 1780 01:25:26,680 --> 01:25:28,720 Speaker 1: guys for listening. Thank you so much, we'll see you 1781 01:25:28,760 --> 01:25:30,280 Speaker 1: tomorrow and as always, go Texas.