- 10 months ago
Seth and Sean talk with Audacy NFL Insider Ross Tucker about the Texans' loss in New England, a potential CJ Stroud extension, his predictions for the NFC and AFC championship games.
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00:00Fourth down and four, 14 of the Rams, shotgun snap, goes back four, four-man rush, he's chased, he's flushed, he's all the way back to the 40, he's backpedaling and throws a pass into the end zone, caught, touchdown, touchdown, Chicago has got a touchdown pass, with Cole come in, open in the corner, if you hadn't seen it, you would not believe it.
00:25All right, I'm playing that clip coming in, because our next guest, who joins us every Tuesday at this time, Ross Tucker, our Odyssey NFL Insider, Odyssey NFL Insider calls are brought to you by Nationwide Needs.
00:38Nationwide is on your side.
00:41Ross Tucker was also on that call for that Bears-Rams game, that call by Kevin Harlan got a ton of attention, as it should have, it was outstanding on the internet over the last 24 to 48 hours.
00:52Ross, first, welcome in, it's always great to talk to you, I thought you, I was listening to that call on my way home from doing the postgame for the Texans, driving home on Sunday night, and I was listening to that portion of the game when that play happened, I liked how you just kind of laid back and let Kevin Harlan do his thing right there, man, I gotta tell you, like, your silence there was maybe some of the, I love you on games, but that call, what was it like sitting next to Kevin Harlan for a call like that, man?
01:22Well, I really appreciate you saying that, because it probably goes against my instincts, because that was, I don't know, I mean, I don't like sit down and rank them, but that was up there among the most improbable, crazy, special plays that I've ever seen in person and experienced.
01:48So, it was so cool.
01:52You know, what's crazy about it is, there's a longer version that Westwood One posted, and I actually didn't even say a word for a minute and 24 seconds, because, you know, Kevin described the play, and I just stayed out of it, and then there was a pause, and then he kind of talked a little bit more.
02:16With the NFL, then there was the extra point, and the score was 17-16, you know, so, I mean, what if the extra point was blocked, or he missed it, and I'm talking about the play, like, so I had to just, I waited until after the extra point,
02:35because I knew there wasn't going to be a commercial break, there was 18 seconds left, or whatever the number was, so I knew I would have time.
02:45What's interesting, you'll appreciate that, this, is two things.
02:49One is, I really don't care for, especially on radio, but TV also, I really just don't think it sounds good when the color analyst, his voice jumps in, or messes with the call, the play-by-play guy.
03:08You know, if you're ever in a car driving and listening to a game, and I know this, the play-by-play guy is really what matters.
03:16I mean, I think on TV, the analyst is more important, because you can see what's happening.
03:22So the play-by-play guy, it's like, okay, yeah, thank you, but I can actually see that.
03:26But it's great for the TV, the analyst to actually tell you something interesting about it, whereas for radio, all you really want to know is what's the score, who has the ball, how much time's left, you know, like, you want to know what's going on.
03:43So I stayed out of it, but interestingly, I had one of my CBS producers text me about it and say, did you talk about the decision to not go for two?
03:54And I said, well, you know, I didn't say a word until the play was so significant that I didn't say a word until after the extra point.
04:06And I guess at that point, we could have gotten into a discussion about whether or not the Bears should have gone for two.
04:14But at that point, they didn't, so it was a little bit of a moot point.
04:17And also, I still hadn't even talked about the Caleb Williams play, and I didn't even describe it.
04:24So I said, well, he just sprinted 20 yards back.
04:28He kind of did the old Fran Tarkenton thing.
04:31And then I got a bunch of shout-outs on social media, at Ross Tucker NFL, from people that appreciated the Fran Tarkenton reference.
04:41Because the only other time I can remember an NFL quarterback, like, running backwards, usually with Tarkenton, he was kind of zigging back and forth.
04:49But running backwards was Tarkenton on the old NFL film.
04:53Yes, yeah.
04:54Yeah, for sure.
04:56Ross, not as many spectacular plays out of C.J. Stroud as Caleb Williams in the loss.
05:02I feel like people came out of that Caleb Williams loss feeling better about Caleb Williams than perhaps the C.J. Stroud loss.
05:07I don't know if you realize that or not.
05:10Where are we right now, as a former offensive lineman in the NFL, you know, if we try to look at C.J. Stroud, and nobody, look, nobody's making excuses for him or anything, but obviously the offensive line can be improved.
05:25They improved some this year, but there's still more improving to do.
05:29Like, what perhaps are we saying about C.J. Stroud if the offensive line was just a top-notch offensive line this year?
05:35Like, how can we see the performance from the circumstances around him?
05:41I think the line had settled it enough that, I mean, these last two games, I am really surprised by the decision-making of C.J. Stroud.
06:01Really surprised.
06:03You know, if you're not going to be a guy that makes special plays with your legs and can extend plays and really be a big-time second reaction guy, although I will say I thought his, when he stepped up in the pocket and threw it to Dalton Schultz in the flat early in the game, I thought that was an awesome play by C.J.
06:26Awesome.
06:28But that's not really his game.
06:31He's not really going to do a bunch of Josh Allens or Caleb Williams or Mahomes or Lamar or whatever.
06:37You really need to make better decisions than he's making because not all turnovers are created equal.
06:50And these last two games, he had so many horrendous decisions and or throws that I would say are very concerning.
07:06You know, I do think Carlton Davis made a great catch and whatever, but it still is highly concerning.
07:16What game, I don't know if you guys saw it on social media, but I actually thought both the Bills and the Texans were going to win on the road, and I thought the Texans were going to be hosting the AFC Championship game on Sunday.
07:32The Bills, I mean, that's a longer conversation, but they obviously had their turnover issues, and there was some questionable officiating in that game as well.
07:41Maybe just controversial, I don't know if questionable is the right word, but for the Texans, you know, that offensive line really got the job done in the ground game against the Steelers the Monday night before.
07:55And then, you know, no Trent Brown and then to have to put Patterson in there and then Titus gets hurt.
08:03I mean, that was a tough spot for them to be in, but if CJ just doesn't turn it over, I would love to have seen what the score of that game looks like.
08:15It feels like, interestingly, the Panthers and the Texans are in the same place or a similar place with Bryce Young and CJ Stroud in the sense that I think both those guys are definitely worthy of picking up the fifth-year option,
08:35and the Carolina Panthers already did so with Bryce Young, but I would not give them, you know, that 55 to 65-plus million-dollar-per-year deal yet.
08:54I know they're eligible for it, but if they contract for two more years after the fifth-year option,
09:03I would wait and see how year four plays out before I allocate that much.
09:11I mean, if that many people are saying the Texans should put Davis Mills in a game, you can't give a guy $60 million per year.
09:20Yeah, we're all in lockstep on that one, Ross, for sure.
09:23By the way, Ross Tucker and Insider Calls are brought to you by Nationwide for your insurance and financial needs.
09:28Nationwide is on your side.
09:30So, Ross, the Texans drafted two guys back in that 2023 draft in the top three.
09:35One was CJ Stroud, eligible for an extension.
09:37The other is Will Anderson, also eligible for an extension.
09:41Conversely, compared to CJ Stroud, where I'm with you, I'd hold off at least another year.
09:45How many seconds after the league year begins do you hand Will Anderson a gigantic contract extension?
09:52Yeah, no, I mean, he's worth every penny.
09:57The sooner you can give it to him, the better, because the rate for those guys just keeps going up, up, up.
10:04And if you wait and ask the Dallas Cowboys about this, it doesn't really work out very well.
10:10And, you know, we know what Micah Parsons did and where he set the market.
10:16You know, I think it's interesting because I don't know that Will Anderson is quite Micah Parsons or TJ Watt or as accomplished as those guys are.
10:29But I do think he's done enough where he should be at the top of the market.
10:34And, you know, what makes the Texans basically their defense and basically the edge rushers and the secondary in particular.
10:44And so, what are you going to do?
10:46Not sign them?
10:48And the thing is, is because of the fifth-year option, and this is what the Eagles have gotten really good at, those years don't go away.
10:57Okay, they don't like evaporate.
10:59So, he's under contract for the fourth year.
11:02You have the placeholder, more or less, of the fifth-year option.
11:06Then you give him, let's call it a three-year big money deal.
11:11But it's really five years.
11:13And you're really spreading that new money average of $40 million a year.
11:20You can really spread that over the next five years, which makes it a lot more palatable from a salary cap perspective.
11:29That's what, to me, the smartest teams do.
11:33Yeah, Texas.
11:33The other teams wait.
11:36The smart teams get it done.
11:37Yeah, Texans did it with Stingley last year.
11:39Well, literally a week after the league year began, they did what you just said.
11:42And the other thing, too, is, like, Nico Collins, you know, people raised eyebrows at them extending him at the number that he did because it was a price.
11:49He's the 16th highest paid wide receiver now because it's aged.
11:53And then by the end of this offseason, he's probably going to be the 25th highest paid wide receiver.
11:58But, you know, the other part of that, too, Ross, is you've got to have the right kind of guys who aren't going to be agitating for a new contract every two years after they got an extension.
12:07I feel like that's the other part of the equation.
12:09They've done a good job of getting guys in that, if Derek Stingley is all pro the next three years in a row, his contract, 15th highest cornerback, I don't get the sense that these guys that they've extended are going to be agitating for new deals.
12:27Well, that's a really good point.
12:29That's a huge part of it.
12:31But you've got to make sure it's the right guys, and you have to make it very, very clear we're giving this to you two years early.
12:41You're going to be near the top of the market, if not at the top of the market.
12:46You're going to have life-altering financial security for you and future generations.
12:52But you're also going to see in a couple years guys that you don't think are as good as you making more money than you.
13:00But that's how this thing works.
13:02So we're just telling you now that's how it works.
13:04And by the way, keep balling out because we hope to give you a third contract, and you'll once again be the highest paid guy.
13:12But it's not going to be for three or four years.
13:15Yeah.
13:15And that's how the Texans have operated.
13:17You know, they reward guys.
13:18They love guys they know, and they reward those guys.
13:21Ross Tucker, our Odyssey NFL insider, joining us.
13:23Ross, before we get you out of here, because you know you've got to go do the Even Money Betting Podcast,
13:28what are your thoughts on the conference title games this week, and particularly the AFC,
13:33which is a fascinating one with Jared Stidham now a key component of it?
13:38Yeah, it's funny.
13:39I think you guys will appreciate this.
13:42And I just said this on today's Ross Tucker football podcast,
13:48and I'm quite sure, you know, he wouldn't verbalize this.
13:52But from a coaching legacy standpoint,
13:58the weird way the Bo Nix injury put Sean Payton in a great spot.
14:03Because if they lose, it's like, well, he got to the conference championship game,
14:09and then, you know, he didn't have a starting quarterback.
14:12He broke his ankle.
14:13What do you expect?
14:14If he wins, it's, oh, my gosh, how great of a coach is Sean Payton?
14:20He gets to a Super Bowl with his backup quarterback and blah, blah, blah.
14:25And the thing is, is Bo Nix has had a nice year.
14:30Bo Nix is not a top 10 quarterback in the NFL, in my mind.
14:34And I do think Stidham is a higher-end backup.
14:40And I think, you know, like I'll tell you, I'm about to record the Even Money podcast,
14:45which is the betting podcast, for those of you that are so inclined.
14:48I'm going to take the Broncos in the five and a half points.
14:50I think it's going to be a really competitive game, close game.
14:54I think Stidham will do some solid things.
14:57I think Payton will know how to call the game for Stidham.
15:00I think it's probably a field goal game either way, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Broncos win.
15:06Yeah.
15:07Ross Tucker, our Odyssey NFL insider.
15:10But, hey, real quick, Ross, by the way, what about on the NFC side?
15:13I know we've got like a minute with you.
15:14What about Seattle and L.A.?
15:17Yes, I'll be on the sideline for that one, which I can't even remember the last time I was in Seattle.
15:23But I'll be on the sideline for that one.
15:26I like the Seahawks.
15:27You know, now the Charbonnet injury is interesting because one of the things that makes them really good is just pounding you with two different.
15:39And now they really only have one in Kenneth Walker, and he gets hurt a lot, by the way.
15:44And he's a little bit inconsistent, even though he's more explosive.
15:48It just feels like the Rams are kind of running out of gas a little bit towards the end of the season.
15:54You know, I thought they were the best team most of the year.
15:58But if you watch them, their D-line, which is all like young studs, they have not been the same over the last month.
16:08Their corners are not great.
16:10Now, I don't know if Darnold can necessarily take advantage of that, but that's going to be a hornet's nest to go into.
16:16And the Rams' offense is not playing quite that well.
16:21And the Seahawks' defense is awesome.
16:22The Seahawks' defense is kind of like the Texans' defense of the NFC.
16:27I think Seattle gets the win.
16:29All right.
16:29That's the great Ross Tucker.
16:30He's our Odyssey NFL insider.
16:32Insider Call is brought to you by Nationwide for your insurance and financial needs.
16:35Nationwide is on your side.
16:37Hey, Ross, keep up the great work.
16:39We'll talk next week.
16:40Sounds great.
16:41See you guys.
16:41All right.
16:41See you.
16:42That's Ross Tucker.
16:43Of course, the Ross Tucker football podcast, which is one of the best ones out there.