00:00The vibes, admittedly, all week long have just been significantly different because of Sunday.
00:05And, I mean, really pivotal, that game, just vibes-wise.
00:09I think it stands to possibly be incredibly pivotal in this season, right?
00:14The hopes of playoffs became significantly bigger and larger than they would have been otherwise
00:20if you did not manage a, what, second biggest comeback in Houston Texans history on that Sunday.
00:27And so you look at the way that this goes, and, I mean, that reshaped the season.
00:33Are there other games that you can look forward to that could do the same?
00:377-1-3, 5-7-2-4.
00:38I think there will be at least another game that reshapes how we feel about this team.
00:42Well, certainly.
00:42It feels like you're in such a precarious situation with how you feel about this team.
00:47A win or a loss.
00:48Right.
00:48Either way, we could be back into pits like that, lickety-split, just off the strength of a particular game.
00:54Or you could be on top of the world if they manage to do this.
00:58So, yeah, maybe you could take this from either direction.
01:01But, you know what, before we even get deep into this, I would like to go ahead and, on the front side of this, apologize.
01:07Because you know what I'm doing right now?
01:09Looking past the Titans.
01:10That's what I'm doing, baby.
01:11I'm looking past the Titans.
01:12Now, to be fair, we will not entirely look past the Titans.
01:15At 1 p.m. today, we will go behind enemy lines, talk to our guy, Ron, seriously at that point.
01:22But right now, ain't nothing serious about them Tennessee Titans.
01:24Let's look past them.
01:25And I give you my blessing personally to do so.
01:28Yeah, look, you're right.
01:29That game, I don't think anybody can argue that game at least changed the way you look at this team.
01:34And I think it's not a stretch to say it changed the trajectory of this team.
01:39I think the answer to what other games down the road could do that, I think it's an easy answer.
01:45And maybe you're going to have two completely different answers.
01:48But to me, the Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills at home is going to be much like the Jaguars.
01:56It's going to reshape how we look at this season.
01:58That's one.
01:59And then the other one is the second to last game of the year, the Chargers.
02:03The Chargers are a little on to something right now.
02:07Keep in mind, you humiliated them last year in the playoffs.
02:11Sure did.
02:12And that is still Jim Harbaugh out there.
02:15And then the biggest reason I think these two games are going to reshape the season is the Texans are realistically looking at a wild card.
02:26Oh, right?
02:27Probably.
02:28I mean, unless the Colts collapse in a way that feels untenable for them right now.
02:34Right.
02:34Like, they're built somewhat sustainably.
02:36I understand that there's definitely some flaws in the way that they go about things.
02:40But they have a solid running game.
02:41We've known that for years with Jonathan Taylor.
02:44And it feels like they found some things when it comes to some of their defensive approaches to this.
02:48And you know who else is realistically looking at a wild card?
02:51The Buffalo Bills.
02:52You know who else maybe is looking at a wild card?
02:56The L.A. Chargers.
02:57Can we just stop and appreciate it?
03:00Yeah.
03:01Meaning MVP Josh Allen looking up at the New England Patriots.
03:04Yeah.
03:04And to be fair.
03:05By two games.
03:05It's only been a very short period of time where the Patriots were down bad.
03:08So, don't see me crying for no Patriots fans or nothing.
03:12But, like, last year, that would not have felt like something that would happen.
03:16Yeah.
03:16But think about that.
03:17That Thursday night game.
03:19Let's say they come in here 7-3.
03:21You're 5-5.
03:23All of a sudden, you get a win over them.
03:24It knocks them down.
03:25You raise yourself up.
03:28They're realistically looking at it.
03:30I mean, they're two games behind the Patriots right now.
03:32So, they're realistically looking at it.
03:33That's a team that you can maybe fight for that wild card.
03:37And the Chargers, they have seven wins.
03:39So, it's a little bit.
03:39They're still in the hunt for their division.
03:41But, you know, obviously, you know, the Broncos have the best record in the AFC.
03:45So, I think the combination of those two teams.
03:47You played the Chargers.
03:49That's going to be a revenge game.
03:51You've beaten the Buffalo Bills in this building as well.
03:54And then, on top of that, you've got the wild card factor.
03:57Right.
03:57And I think let's start talking about this Bills game.
04:00Because I do think that that's a fair one.
04:02I'm trying to kind of bounce back and forth the reasons why and why not.
04:05That might be the case.
04:07And one of the things that I immediately go to is that's a short week.
04:09Right?
04:10Yes.
04:11How does the notion of it being a short week factor into this?
04:14Because I think you could, you know, I'm doing the thing where I try and create a mental pros and cons list of this.
04:20And I think that you might be able to try and find some excuses that, oh, well, it's a short week versus the Bills.
04:26Although, you are at home.
04:27So, those things.
04:28I was going to say, not as bad as Buffalo.
04:29They're coming from Buffalo, New York on a short week.
04:31That's right.
04:32So, there's those portions of it.
04:33I also think that you mentioned, since you played them last year, there is kind of an interesting.
04:38Juxtaposition over here versus how you handle them.
04:42And particularly, how you are able to handle Josh Allen, who last year, again, MVP caliber season.
04:48Whether or not you feel like he should have had the actual MVP, it's neither here nor there.
04:52I don't think anybody could make the argument last season that Josh Allen wasn't phenomenal in his play.
04:57And you quite literally had probably the best performance against him of any team.
05:02This defense doesn't get any worse this year.
05:05Right.
05:06Although, I guess they are strained when it comes to actual bodies back there.
05:10Now that you have MJ Stewart also lost for the season after, you know, sending away CJ Garner-Johnson.
05:16We'll see where Jalen Petrie is concussion-wise.
05:19But, that also raises some questions.
05:22Are you able to take Josh Allen out of the game like you were last year?
05:28In part because that secondary also needs to be able to stand up in that same game.
05:31Yeah.
05:32I don't know if you have any other games that jump out.
05:34But, for me, it was Buffalo and the Chargers.
05:39But, the Colts, what if you can sweep them?
05:44Well, I mean, there's a distinct possibility that you could just off the strength of winning week 13.
05:52Because, week 18 might be one of those things where it's a foregone conclusion for them.
05:55I think we both...
05:56Well, I'm saying as if it's not a foregone conclusion.
05:59I don't...
06:00I mean, if that's the case, that's awesome.
06:02Right?
06:02Because...
06:03You get them at home on the last week.
06:04Both of those would be very important for you.
06:06I think that it's probably more likely that that last game is a foregone conclusion.
06:09That's why I was like, it's not on my list.
06:10It's top of my list, anyway.
06:11But, still, the strength of, like, going on the road in week 13 when I think they'd still be somewhat in that place of trying to make sure that they...
06:19...solidify this.
06:23As we've talked about a number of times, how there's not really a strength of the NFL right now.
06:30There's not really very many absolutes when you look at various teams.
06:35So, yeah.
06:35I think that that could be something that's telling.
06:37But, I feel like you went to the Bills and the Chargers for particular reasons.
06:43I'm interested in the Chargers one for you.
06:46Because the Chargers, that could be telling, but it also could not be.
06:49Like, the Chargers are one of those teams that I don't know any given Sunday or Saturday or Friday.
06:55Right, right.
06:55And that one is flexible, I should say.
06:58I don't know what they bring to the table.
07:01And they are so up and down themselves where I don't know how much that'll tell you.
07:06Especially, at that point, will we know?
07:08Will we feel like we know what this Texans team is by week 17?
07:11Yeah, but at the same time, the Chargers are 7-3.
07:14You know, they are 7-3.
07:15And I know they have a couple of cupcakes.
07:18Well, presumed cupcakes coming up.
07:20They got the Jaguars this week.
07:22And then the Raiders at home the week after that.
07:24So, yeah, I think just by default, they're going to have at minimum nine wins, you know, when you face them.
07:34The Chargers?
07:34Yeah.
07:35So, even if they're not at their best game.
07:36That's why I think it could be sort of a change the direction of the season type one game.
07:40Is there any reason that you didn't go to, I think the obvious answer that some people will go to, being the Kansas City Chiefs.
07:46Been a little bit of a boogeyman for you as a franchise.
07:49And then obviously, like, they're not a great team.
07:51And they're definitely in the wild card hunt right now.
07:53Right.
07:54Is there any reason why you didn't go with the Chiefs in your thoughts of which games could have you this Texas team?
08:02I mean, it could be.
08:04It absolutely could be by the time you play them because that's after Buffalo and Indianapolis.
08:08Yeah, but that's before the Chargers game that you were willing to put up here.
08:10Before the Chargers game.
08:11But I think part of it for me is maybe I'm just respecting too much of what they're doing right now.
08:15That I see them making a run and not faltering.
08:18You know?
08:19Maybe that's it.
08:20So, you feel like you lose to the Chiefs and you just go, ho-hum.
08:23That's one of those things that happens.
08:25At Kansas City, primetime game, Sunday night, all those things.
08:30You know one of the things that I keep thinking about with the Bills game?
08:33And you know I mentioned this yesterday, talking about that rushing performance you were able to put up against the Jags.
08:38How it's, like, success rate-wise, the single best performance that you've had since week one of last year versus the Colts,
08:44where that was just like a masterpiece of running the football.
08:47The Bills are M-A-L-O bad at stopping the run.
08:52Like, this, we've had numerous people, including Nick Haley, coming out flat out saying that their identity is being a tough physical team that runs the football.
09:01It's clearly at the foundation of what they believe this team to be offensively.
09:06Yeah.
09:06That's going to be real interesting to see to what degree of success can you find against a team that isn't good stopping the run.
09:12Because I'm not certain that, actually, I'm not certain, I don't feel like this is a good running team.
09:16Yeah.
09:17As much as they believe that they want to be that, I think that that will be interesting to see.
09:20I don't know if it'll be, like, a super telltale.
09:22But if they don't get out here and absolutely just dog walk the Bills on the ground, I will have even more concerns about that run game.
09:31And especially when you, you know, D'Amico and Matt Burke kind of have the secret sauce with Josh Allen.
09:36You know, you figure you're going to do okay against Josh.
09:40I mean, that's a bit against Josh Allen.
09:42Somebody said from the 8-3-2, I think we can win out with Davis Mills.
09:45All right.
09:46Thank you for that text.
09:47I appreciate it.
09:48Hey, salute the Davis Mills family.
09:50Wow, you ain't got to do that.
09:53Yeah, man, salute.
09:54Don't do that.
09:54He's got friends, too.
09:55You can win out.
09:56He's got friends, too.
09:57That got to be family.
09:59Yeah, that got to be family.
10:00Win out.
10:01But all of that starts with getting to 500 by getting a victory in Tennessee this weekend.
10:08And we're talking about that as we continue to head towards the weekend.
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