- 2 days ago
Former Texan N.D. Kalu joins the show for his weekly visit to break down the latest with the Texans.
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00:00What's the thing that you keep coming back to
00:02and thinking about when you think of that football game?
00:05Davis Mills rushing for that touchdown.
00:07You know, the way he played the first three quarters,
00:10you know, you're starting to question and wonder
00:12how this game is going to end up.
00:14But I just felt like I felt him on that run where he was just,
00:18when he took off, I said to myself, he's getting in that end zone.
00:22And it's not because I'm overly confident in his athleticism
00:25or his running ability,
00:26but he was running with frustration at how the game was going,
00:31but he was also running with the confidence that his defense
00:34has kept them into the game and they still have a chance to win it.
00:38And I just always go back,
00:39and when I talk to some of these other stations out of town about that game,
00:42I just go back to that play.
00:44And you have to credit the offense.
00:48They continue to just allow the team to still be in the game
00:52late in the fourth quarter.
00:54Yeah, you mentioned the defense,
00:55and that's exactly where I was going to go, Indy.
00:57We're going into week 11, man.
00:59This is not just the early part of the season anymore.
01:03Does this defense have a chance to be an all-timer?
01:08I mean, yes.
01:10So the answer is yes.
01:11The problem is it's still a team sport,
01:13and as great as the defense is playing,
01:15if for whatever reason,
01:17and I'm not making any predictions with the schedule,
01:19but if they finish off 7-10 or 8-9,
01:24it's just going to be one of those,
01:26man, that was a rough season,
01:28but the defense played pretty well.
01:29But if they can turn it around as a team
01:31and sneak into the playoffs,
01:33insert playoffs,
01:35but if they can sneak into the playoffs,
01:38and then we're going to look and say,
01:39man, as bad as things were early on,
01:42the defense kept them in,
01:43and I think people will remember this season,
01:45all the defensive side of the ball,
01:47more if the team has success.
01:48And that's just how it is in Indy and everywhere.
01:50You can have a great quarterback on a bad team,
01:53and you're not really going to appreciate his talent
01:55because the overall results,
01:57this is the ultimate team sport,
01:59and you have to win.
01:59But I'm with you.
02:00I mean, for people really watching the Houston Texans
02:03and people who've been following this team from day one,
02:06yeah, this will automatically go down
02:08as one of, if not the best defenses
02:10that we've seen in one season.
02:12And with that defense,
02:13it's kind of funny because all through the season,
02:16it feels like it's either been
02:17Daniil eating or Will Anderson Jr. eating.
02:21This was like the first day
02:22where we got a little bit of both happening.
02:24And of course, I can't say a little bit of Daniil.
02:27Is that as simple as just a pick your poison proposition
02:32for opposing offenses?
02:34Is that all that is?
02:34Or is there something else happening that you see?
02:37No, I mean, that's what it is.
02:38But this is what I expected going into the season
02:41when I knew that they had the best edge combo in the NFL.
02:45You know, when you hear that, the thought is,
02:48oh, man, so each game, each guy's going to have two sacks.
02:51No, it's going to be one of those situations
02:52where when one of your greats is not having it stat-wise,
02:57then the other guy is.
02:58And then he's picking up form.
03:00So you're always going to have that presence on the edge.
03:02And keep in mind, even though Daniil Hunter
03:04had a little sack drought,
03:06I think it was three or four games
03:07where he didn't have a sack,
03:08you still saw him.
03:09He still had a presence on the field.
03:12And trust me, those offensive tackles
03:14and offensive coordinators,
03:15after some of those games,
03:17they weren't going like,
03:18oh, where was Daniil Hunter?
03:19He didn't show up.
03:20It was one of those, man, he was still disruptive.
03:23He was still causing the offense
03:25to change their thought process.
03:27So that's what it means to have two great edge rushers,
03:29in my opinion.
03:30And the production is still there
03:31when it comes to pass rushing.
03:33What are you seeing all the way around
03:35for the defensive front?
03:36Because I know at various points,
03:39the ability to leak up the field
03:40for a quarterback was there.
03:42Running backs maybe at times
03:44could slide through
03:44with the aggression that would happen.
03:46Does it feel like that has been
03:48really rectified on this defensive line?
03:51Reggie, Reggie,
03:52what do you have against these details?
03:56You've been trying to get me
03:57to say something negative
03:58about the inside defensive line.
04:01He's a hater, man.
04:02He hates edge rushers and defensive linemen.
04:04I see they say something bad
04:08about Nigeria.
04:10No, I just really like
04:13getting into the depths of it.
04:14It's something that I keep explaining
04:16when I talk about it is
04:17it always feels mean
04:19to bring any of this up
04:20because the defense has been so good.
04:22But because of how important they've been,
04:24like we've had a microscope
04:25in doing that,
04:26there's been those small moments.
04:28But is this now steeled up
04:29to where there's nowhere to go
04:31for an opposing offense?
04:32All jokes aside,
04:34the way you're thinking
04:35is how winners think
04:36and that's how champions think
04:37because I remember
04:39when I was in Philadelphia
04:40and our defense was riding high.
04:42Then when we'll go to film room
04:44on Monday,
04:44the great late Jim Johnson
04:46will talk about,
04:47man, let me tell y'all
04:48why y'all had a horrible game
04:50and we just held somebody
04:51to 10 points
04:51and he would bring up,
04:53you know what,
04:53there isn't any gap integrity
04:55on these plays.
04:56My linebackers aren't filling the gaps.
04:58And with what you're seeing
05:00in the middle
05:01with the runs,
05:03with the rush lanes
05:04for the quarterback,
05:05that's absolutely something
05:06I hope that they're looking at.
05:08Like I hope
05:09the defensive coordinator,
05:11the D-line coach,
05:12they're going in there
05:12and saying,
05:13hey, we played a great game,
05:14but against Buffalo,
05:15this blank ain't going to fly.
05:17You know,
05:17because if you leave
05:18these rush lanes open
05:19for Josh Allen,
05:20he's going to mess around
05:21and rush for 80 yards
05:22and extend play.
05:23So I love the way
05:24you're thinking.
05:24I'm just giving you
05:25a hard time.
05:26But that is something
05:27that you want to limit
05:29and you don't want to see
05:31it as consistently
05:31because against
05:33the Josh Allen's
05:33of the world,
05:34you're going to be coming
05:36into the studio
05:36talking like,
05:37I told y'all.
05:38I told y'all.
05:39So I 100% get it.
05:41And I don't think
05:42it's a physical issue
05:43because I think
05:43these guys are very physical.
05:47They're very sure
05:48of a get fit issue.
05:49And like I said,
05:50I really,
05:51really hope that
05:52they're seeing it
05:53the way you're seeing it
05:54and they're not satisfied.
05:55And that's something
05:56that they're working
05:57on throughout the week.
05:58So Andy,
05:58we came in on Tuesday,
06:00you know,
06:01and said,
06:01we've got to have
06:02a Davis Mills discussion.
06:04And it ended up,
06:05it ended up landing on
06:06what is the Davis Mills
06:08discussion?
06:09Because,
06:09because,
06:10you know,
06:10obviously CJ Stroud's
06:11not going anywhere,
06:12but Davis Mills,
06:14and I said this
06:14on the show Tuesday,
06:15I think most people
06:16would be lying
06:17if they didn't
06:18at some point
06:19ask themselves,
06:20could CJ have done that?
06:21So I'm just curious
06:22where,
06:22you know,
06:23what your Davis Mills
06:24discussion would be.
06:26Ooh,
06:27you know,
06:27I like that point.
06:29The whole,
06:30would CJ have done that?
06:32Are we talking
06:32about a particular play?
06:33Maybe the scramble,
06:35maybe,
06:35I was pointing
06:36to the throw
06:37of,
06:37to Dalton Schultz
06:39in the back
06:39of the end zone.
06:39Because Davis Mills
06:40has been so conditioned
06:41and,
06:42and,
06:43and,
06:43and bought in,
06:44you know,
06:44he bought into the
06:45offense of boom,
06:46boom,
06:46boom,
06:47get rid of the ball here.
06:48You know,
06:48just be,
06:49would he have waited
06:50and waited
06:50and trusted?
06:52And I'm,
06:52it's no criticism.
06:53We know he's the guy,
06:54but what I'm saying,
06:55would he have done that,
06:56that throw to Dalton Schultz
06:58in the top of the,
06:59back of the end zone?
07:00But we've seen him
07:02thread the needle
07:02like that,
07:03haven't we?
07:03But I'm talking about
07:04in terms of getting
07:05off of the main thing,
07:06would he have thrown
07:07into the dirt?
07:07Would he have run?
07:08You know,
07:08I don't know.
07:09I,
07:09because again,
07:10he's the guy,
07:11but it just made me think.
07:14Here's the thing.
07:15I don't know if he makes
07:16that play.
07:16I definitely don't know
07:17if he makes the play
07:18with the legs
07:19that we saw,
07:20you know,
07:21the one that I alluded
07:21to earlier,
07:22but here,
07:23if CJ starting that game
07:25and he's helped
07:25make one of those
07:29two great plays,
07:29you see what I'm saying?
07:30Because I'm not thinking
07:32that with CJ starting
07:34and this is no knock
07:35against Davis Mills,
07:36but he is the backup
07:37quarterback and he got it done.
07:38So you have to credit him.
07:39But with CJ starting,
07:41I don't know.
07:42And I'm not convinced
07:43that they had to score
07:4419 points in the fourth quarter
07:46on offense to win the game.
07:47So that's where it's hard
07:49for me to answer that.
07:50But yeah,
07:50those two particular plays,
07:52I haven't,
07:53I haven't really seen
07:53them make it this year.
07:54You know,
07:55I know he did have
07:56one long run play.
07:57I can't remember what game.
07:58It was a home game.
07:59And I think CJ rushed
08:01for like 26 yards.
08:02I was like,
08:02oh,
08:02wow,
08:03where's that been?
08:03So,
08:04but,
08:04but that play with Davis Mills,
08:06like it was close too.
08:07Like Davis Mills
08:08was getting to that pylon
08:09and you know,
08:10that was just gut and heart
08:11and want to.
08:13And I don't know
08:14if CJ would have
08:15either trusted
08:16or wanted to put him
08:16his body in harm's way
08:18to make a play like that.
08:19We're talking to our guy
08:20Andy Kalou here
08:21on Sports Radio 610
08:23and the really good
08:25tape day
08:26for the offensive line
08:27in this one,
08:28especially once you got
08:29to that moment
08:29in the fourth quarter
08:30where they needed to go
08:31and get it out the mud.
08:33They were absolutely
08:33moving guys.
08:35Do you feel like
08:36you have any idea
08:37who the best five are?
08:38Because I mean,
08:38it feels like there might
08:39have been some more names
08:40added to the conversation.
08:41I would not mind
08:43if the coaches said
08:45even if everyone's healthy,
08:46we're going to stick
08:47with the five
08:48that we rocked with last week
08:50until they prove
08:50that they aren't
08:51the best five.
08:52I still think,
08:53and again,
08:53that's what a couple of guys
08:54are just saying,
08:55hold on,
08:55he's a legit starter.
08:57Well,
08:58they have not been playing
08:58well as a unit.
09:00I wouldn't,
09:00and it would take guts.
09:01It would be kind of ballsy
09:03to say,
09:04hey,
09:05I know you're healthy,
09:05but we're watching,
09:08get some mental reps,
09:09and let's see
09:10if we can pick up
09:11where we left off last week
09:12because you're still
09:13trying to find
09:14that mix
09:15that you need
09:16on the offensive line
09:17to get this thing going.
09:18And let's be real,
09:19you know,
09:19I threw out playoffs
09:20and it sounds crazy now,
09:21but that was the expectation.
09:24The expectation
09:24before the season
09:25was to win the AFC South,
09:28get into the playoffs
09:29and then go from there.
09:30So if that's still the goal
09:32and coming off the way
09:33the offensive line
09:34played last week,
09:35I would not be mad
09:37if they said
09:37we're going to stick
09:37with this five.
09:39Hey,
09:39they're not afraid
09:41to make some bold decisions.
09:42They started C.D.
09:43So at guard,
09:45which was just a complete
09:45head scratcher to me.
09:47So maybe you never know
09:48with these guys.
09:50Not him,
09:51I'll put him
09:51on a short rope.
09:55I don't like,
09:57I don't like,
09:58got a dog of brain freeze,
10:00but I don't like mixing up
10:01the offensive linemen
10:02during the subbing.
10:03Subbing out
10:04offensive linemen
10:05during the games
10:05because they're used
10:06to playing the entire game
10:08and even when it's a blowout,
10:10regardless of what side you're on,
10:11you always see that
10:12the offensive line
10:13stays intact.
10:14But that's still one.
10:15That's,
10:15that's,
10:16there are a couple plays
10:17where,
10:18yeah,
10:19he needs to know
10:20that somebody's looking
10:21over his shoulder.
10:22All right.
10:23And D,
10:23any,
10:24is there any qualms for you
10:25about the Texans
10:26getting it done this Sunday?
10:27Because it feels weird.
10:28We keep having conversations
10:30about this being
10:30some level of gimme
10:31and it's like,
10:32that feels like something
10:32you shouldn't do,
10:33especially with some
10:34of the historical instances
10:36of gimme's not being gimme's.
10:37Any,
10:37any qualms for you?
10:39What's the Texans record?
10:41They are four and five.
10:43Yeah,
10:43there's no gimme's
10:44when you're below five.
10:47When you're absolutely
10:48no gimme's.
10:50You know,
10:51as a fan,
10:53you know,
10:53Reggie,
10:53when I look,
10:54I was,
10:54oh,
10:54okay,
10:55they're going to beat Tennessee.
10:56Then they got Buffalo,
10:57Indianapolis,
10:59Kansas City.
10:59That's when it really gets tough.
11:00That's what I'm saying
11:01as a fan,
11:02but I hope that the players
11:03aren't saying that
11:04because if they're saying that,
11:05then Cam Ward's going to mess around
11:07or whoever's under center
11:08for Tennessee
11:08is going to mess around
11:09and throw 300 yards
11:11and you're going to be
11:12scratching your head
11:12talking about
11:13how did they lose
11:13to the Titans.
11:16Indy,
11:16we always appreciate you
11:17giving us some of your time.
11:19I told you I had a qualm for you.
11:21What's up with you
11:21not being with us next week?
11:24I hear you out here
11:26succumbing to the AI?
11:29Oh,
11:30I'm taking an AI class.
11:32I keep seeing all these things.
11:33If you're over 40
11:34and you're not taking AI class,
11:36you're missing the bus.
11:37So I'm like,
11:38you know what?
11:38I don't want to be that old man.
11:40So there's a class
11:41that I'm taking
11:43and unfortunately,
11:44it's on Thursday at this time.
11:45Real quick before I go,
11:46I want to send a shout out
11:47to Earl Cochran.
11:48Yes.
11:49He's a Houston Texan
11:50that we lost.
11:51One of my teammates
11:52and I know he wasn't
11:53the biggest name,
11:54but when you talk about
11:55the guys he played with
11:56and the impact that he had
11:57in all of our lives.
11:59And I know when we pass,
12:00we tend to say great things
12:01about people,
12:02but this was truly,
12:03truly,
12:03truly not just a great teammate,
12:05a great friend.
12:06And we just got back
12:07from Alabama
12:08to,
12:10you know,
12:10to celebrate his life.
12:11And man,
12:12you just talk about a guy
12:13that impacted so many guys.
12:15D'Amico Ryans was there,
12:17did an awesome job
12:17with the eulogy.
12:19Andre Johnson
12:19was there.
12:20So many guys
12:21that are the big names
12:22that people have heard of.
12:23That's why I was name dropping.
12:24But also guys like
12:26myself,
12:28I was holding so many players
12:29because he had that impact
12:30on our lives.
12:31Just one of the best teammates
12:33and he's going to be
12:34truly missed.
12:35So shout out to my boy,
12:36Earl Cochran and his family.
12:38Is there a moment
12:38that you think of
12:39that makes you smile with Earl?
12:41You know what,
12:42the way his attention
12:43is a detail.
12:44Like he's a guy that
12:46on the field
12:47when we're talking about,
12:48he was a defensive lineman
12:48for those that don't know.
12:50So we had a lot of discussions
12:51talking about
12:52some of the things.
12:53He would love to talk to you,
12:55Reggie,
12:56about what's going on
12:56with the interior line.
12:58He doesn't hold back.
13:00You would love him.
13:01Y'all would probably
13:02spend 30 minutes
13:03just talking about
13:04the issues with the interior
13:06of the defense.
13:08And he was just
13:08so detail-oriented.
13:10And I remember
13:11it just blew my mind away
13:12because when we were here
13:13with the Texans,
13:14I was about six years
13:15ahead of him,
13:16older than him.
13:17But I'm listening to him
13:18and learning from him
13:19like he was the vet
13:21because of the things
13:22that he would see on film.
13:24I'm glad you brought that up.
13:25Very, very appreciative.
13:26Thank you for bringing that.
13:27And obviously,
13:28condolences to you as well
13:30because obviously
13:30a person that loomed large
13:32in your life
13:33just like D'Amico
13:34and all the other folks
13:35that you mentioned there.
13:36So condolences to you.
13:37Obviously, condolences to the family.
13:39But always,
13:39appreciate you giving us
13:40some of your time
13:41on a Thursday.
13:42Appreciate y'all.
13:43I hate that I'm going to miss it
13:44with the AI training.
13:45Then the following week,
13:47I might have my AI robot
13:48do my questions for me.
13:49Hey, there we go.
13:50Y'all won't even know.
13:51There we go.
13:53You've unlocked the secret.
13:54That's a real quick way
13:55to ruin our friendship.
13:57I don't like that.
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