- 2 days ago
ITL debates whether Houston is properly ranked among the NFL’s best teams.
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00:00Again, we talked about this a little earlier.
00:01We feel pretty good about the way they put this team together
00:03in this offseason, or at least the approach that they took to doing it.
00:07How good do people around the league feel about this?
00:10Because NFL.com put together a list of the most complete teams
00:14in the NFL as of right now.
00:17This is the top ten, mind you, most complete teams.
00:20Where do you think the Texans rank?
00:21Oh, they're high.
00:23They should be high.
00:26Okay, not necessarily top three, maybe bumping into top five.
00:31I'll say six.
00:32Okay.
00:33Just because the question's on the line, but I think now that they're answering,
00:36this is post-draft, right?
00:38Yes, this is post-draft about now.
00:41I'll say six.
00:42This is total rankings.
00:43This is just how complete of a team you feel the Texans have.
00:47I'm going to say ninth.
00:51Figgy hits it here.
00:52Are you surprised to hear that the NFL and this Eric Edholm of NFL.com
00:59puts the Texans as the ninth most complete roster in the NFL?
01:04I guess, yes, I'm a little surprised, but I probably shouldn't be.
01:07There's still so many questions.
01:08But I would have thought after the free agency, the agents they signed,
01:12and after the draft and the focus on the offensive line,
01:14that that would kind of answer some questions.
01:16But I guess they're not proven here.
01:17There are some proven players.
01:20You know, obviously, you know, go down the list.
01:22How complete do you feel like the offense in general is for the Houston Texans?
01:28Like, where would you personally rank the Texans offense right now?
01:32Well, ultimately, it should come back to the quarterback.
01:35I think the tight end room was somewhat, you know, it was a little lacking a little bit,
01:42but answered some questions there, at least in terms of, you know, Moreau and bringing in other players.
01:49Offensive line, I mentioned running back David Montgomery, you know.
01:52Well, can I press pause here when you start talking about tight ends?
01:55And, you know, we've both been very high on the addition of Foster Moreau.
01:58Yeah.
01:59You don't hear how that sounds?
02:02You don't hear how that sounds?
02:04Like, hey, we brought in Foster Moreau.
02:05That's where I was kind of getting – that's why I want to know how you personally felt about it
02:09because I wonder if the league look at this offense like, oh, this is a pretty good offense
02:13or is it a lot of question marks with this offense?
02:17Because there ain't no question marks with the defense.
02:19My point is, yeah.
02:20But to make it a full, complete team.
02:22Well, like I said, I know the tight end room was lacking outside of Dalton Schultz,
02:26but they did bring in – I mean, he's a veteran that's been around the league.
02:29Sure.
02:29And, you know, obviously, you know, whatever you think of Kate Stover and Brevin Jordan,
02:34maybe that's too far into the weeds.
02:36They're not one of the top tight end rooms in the NFL.
02:38But they did address – I'm talking about like they addressed these things.
02:41Yeah, but at this point, we're not talking about addressing.
02:43It's just what is the roster point blank period as of right now.
02:45Just kind of what the league – how the league feel about you.
02:48Would you like me to go into a segment that I like to call reading?
02:51I do, but let me just say this.
02:54Like, if tight end is your one big, okay, they need –
02:58Oh, I don't know if that's the only –
02:59Because I think – you know, it still needs to be proven,
03:02but they brought in three veterans on the offensive line,
03:04and they drafted two dudes.
03:06So, to me, that's like – that's looking better.
03:09We're all saying that.
03:10I agree.
03:11I definitely think it's looking better.
03:13But I think, again, you're doing relative to itself, relative to the Texans.
03:17You're putting this up against the remainder of the league, I think, is ultimately –
03:19Yeah, I'm just wondering, overall, like, how would you –
03:22how do you feel about this offense overall?
03:24I know C.J. Stroud is a big part of that.
03:26But how do the league look at the Houston Texans offense?
03:30Especially when we're just talking about the roster.
03:31It's interesting.
03:32It's an interesting question to ask because there's a lot of –
03:35still upward development also that is being asked
03:37because you were strong about talking about the wide receiver.
03:39I think you could look at the wide receiving core,
03:41and at least from the outside of Houston looking in, they go,
03:44all right, there's one proven and a whole bunch of – we'll see.
03:47Yeah.
03:47You know?
03:48Like, that is a question that I imagine that people are asking.
03:51Now, I'm very high on Jaden Higgins.
03:53We saw some of the sparks that Jalen Knoll provides, assuming that he gets opportunities.
03:58And if Tank Dell is healthy, which is a big if at this point, at least –
04:02or when, maybe, is probably the better question to ask.
04:05What production do you get there?
04:07But you look at the wide receiving room as a core hole,
04:09and honestly, you look at the pass-catching room as a whole.
04:11And I understand why someone would look at that and go, okay, cool.
04:13So, what's the top ones?
04:17Well, let me give you what he put out here,
04:19mentioning that obviously the top ten spot is based off of the defense,
04:23devastating pass rush, talented, deep secondary.
04:25All that sounds good, right?
04:27Will Anderson, Daniel Hunter, best pass payers in the NFL.
04:30Sure.
04:31Anchored by a strong interior that is boosted with K-Mac, K-McDonald.
04:35Behind the front, Kamari Lasseter, Stingley, Petrie, Kalen Bullock.
04:38Interesting that he didn't mention any of the linebackers,
04:40but I guess that makes sense.
04:42We view them very highly.
04:43I wonder how the rest of the league, looking in, views them.
04:47Texans' questions, as I continue, arise on offense.
04:50Houston spent vast resources to upgrade the troublesome O-line,
04:52which you mentioned, adding talent and competition,
04:54with up to three new starters.
04:56We'll see how much difference it makes.
04:59But it will be a surprise if the unit isn't stronger.
05:02Throw in David Montgomery in the backfield mix,
05:04and there's hope that a stagnant run game can squeeze out more production.
05:07Listen to the words that he's using here.
05:09Even with the upgrades, there's hope that you can squeeze out more production.
05:13That is the way that this team is still being viewed from the outside looking.
05:16And, of course, he goes to the key lies in the play of C.J. Stroud.
05:19Since his eye-opening rookie performance, the quarterback's level has leveled off,
05:23rather, so on and so forth.
05:25He mentioned Nico Collins, strong wide receiver one.
05:27Dolan Schultz, reliable second target.
05:29And there's playmaking upside with the good core young talent.
05:32Will it all come together is the question that he has.
05:34And then he goes as far as to say, if the Texans come together, it's a top-five roster.
05:40But it's the ifs.
05:41It's the thing that we were talking about earlier.
05:42I just think all of this, and those are all valid points.
05:45I'm not saying that.
05:46I'm not on a giant bucket of cold water on it.
05:48But I do think that, I think just so much of this is influenced or tainted or whatever
05:54by C.J. Stroud, but by the quarterback.
05:57Like, he's saying some accurate things, you know, his opinion on those things.
06:01But I think so much, like, I'm just going to randomly, and I haven't looked at the list.
06:05Yeah, who are the rosters that you think are above?
06:07I'm going to randomly, no, just tell me what he says about team number four.
06:12Team number four fell off last season.
06:17Well, there's some identifying things in here.
06:19Well, no, that's fine.
06:20I'm just saying, I just randomly, I think there are some of the, my point is there are
06:23some of the same questions and need-to-prove-it things.
06:26Offensive line could round into form.
06:27See what I'm saying?
06:28Even after the departure of a lineman.
06:30Depth stands as a major worry.
06:32See, all the things that he said about the Texans, he's saying about team number four,
06:35which, by the way, what team is it?
06:36You want to take a guess?
06:38Okay, tell me the whole thing.
06:39Fell off, long-time head coach is gone.
06:42Still a deep well of talent.
06:44New skipper.
06:45They've endured ups and down in the quarterback's play and injuries from him a year ago,
06:49but he remains the centerpiece of a talented, still dangerous team.
06:53So who is it?
06:54I was going to say Baltimore.
06:55That's it.
06:56Baltimore Ravens.
06:56Right.
06:57Fourth best, most well-rounded roster, according to...
07:01But you get my point?
07:01I think because we're all conditioned, like, C.J. Stroud, C.J. Stroud, it's all up to him.
07:05How is it going to be?
07:06I think they were kind of conditioned with that, too.
07:09A little bit.
07:09We'll see.
07:10When they say we'll see.
07:11That's what I'm saying.
07:12There are legit questions for all these top 10 teams.
07:16I think the Texans kind of were bumped down because it's such a big question at the quarterback position.
07:21All right.
07:22The number one team.
07:24Actually, real quick.
07:25I think that Ben Solak of ESPN.
07:28He looks a little bit like a child, but he has a child himself.
07:30Very good, in my estimation, in talking about football.
07:33This was Ben Solak talking about the struggles that C.J. Stroud had.
07:39Since C.J. Stroud got drafted, the Texans are 31st in rushing success rate and 31st in EPA per rush.
07:44Only the Raiders are worse.
07:45To me, that is the C.J. Stroud stat.
07:47Far more than the Davis Mills went 3-0, the turnovers in the playoffs.
07:50It's the fact that Stroud cannot throw in manageable down-and-distances,
07:53and the Texans cannot manipulate defensive personnel because they can't run the football.
07:57The hardest environment for a quarterback to throw the football is on third and long, right?
08:00Defense knows a pass is coming.
08:02The ball is in their court.
08:03Stroud has 183 dropbacks on third and seven-plus over the last two seasons.
08:06Only Caleb Williams has more, but it's not just the late downs.
08:09As a rookie, Stroud saw base defense, three linebackers, four defensive backs,
08:13on 26% of his dropbacks, led the league,
08:15and that's obviously easier to throw against than nickel and dime.
08:18But as defenses realized that Stroud was dangerous and the Texans' running game wasn't,
08:22they stopped putting base on the field.
08:24Stroud saw it on about 15% of his dropbacks last year, sixth lowest in the league.
08:27If you can't run the football, you can't create manageable down-and-distances,
08:30you can't force opposing defenses to put run-defending players on the field,
08:33and it's just going to be plain hard to throw the football.
08:36The Texans obviously know this, and they're trying to address it.
08:38They drafted Keelan Rutledge in the first round,
08:40and then Marlon Klein, the blocking tight end out of Michigan, in the second round.
08:43This after they traded for David Montgomery to be a thumper between the tackles,
08:46and in free agency, they added Wyatt Teller, they added Braden Smith.
08:49They're trying to retool this offensive line.
08:51That's why you're just not going to get CJ Stroud concerned from me.
08:53I haven't seen him play in a healthy, balanced offense,
08:55and I think once I do, I think he'll look a lot more like he looked as a rookie.
08:59I mean, that's the hope, and clearly the bigger hope is that this run game
09:03and the offense and the play calling is enough to get into those shorter
09:08third-down situations.
09:10Yeah.
09:10I mean, he was right on point.
09:13And so it almost feels like the conversations that are being had here
09:16or with some of the larger conversations are chicken-and-egg type situations
09:20where it's like, okay, CJ Stroud has not played the best,
09:23not to say that he has not played well,
09:25because I would think that would be a false characterization of what happened
09:29because you've not been able to run the football,
09:30but then also we're talking about the things that they're doing
09:33in order to be able to run the football with the context of, okay,
09:36is it complete if CJ Stroud isn't playing all that well,
09:39which feels like it's tied into one another.
09:41Right, right.
09:41It feels like there's this weird feedback loop that the Texans can't fix
09:44until they get on the field and show people.
09:46I totally agree.
09:48All right, so when it comes to the other teams that Eric Edholm of NFL.com
09:52viewed as more complete than the Texans,
09:55do you agree that these are the case?
09:57All right, we're going to go down from the team that is ranked number one,
10:00the Los Angeles Rams.
10:03Obviously, quarterback Matt Stafford, Puka Nakua, Devontae Adams
10:06have a good wide receiver core there,
10:08or at least some guys that you look at.
10:10Kyron Williams, Blake Corum in the running back room,
10:12just really fun tandem that you have there.
10:14Cornerbacks, remember they added Trent McDuffie,
10:16and then they also have Jalen Watson as well.
10:19They've got some cornerbacks together.
10:21The secondary looks really good.
10:23Strong defensive line that's gotten pressure.
10:25Like, you look at all the pieces that you would typically go to,
10:27and you go, all right, really well put together, right?
10:29Yeah, that's absolutely fair.
10:31Seattle Seahawks, Super Bowl winning team.
10:33I thought they'd be one, but yes, either one of those two teams.
10:35Philadelphia Eagles, that's not hard to get to,
10:37the way that they typically, Howie Roseman continually gets praised,
10:40the way that they put things together.
10:42Seems like it's really well situated, right?
10:44Mention Baltimore.
10:46Go ahead and stop me when it starts going, I don't know.
10:49Yeah.
10:49Buffalo Bills?
10:50Sure.
10:51Complete roster?
10:51Well, I mean, again, there are some little things that you can pick at,
10:55but I think most of their roster, you could say, is complete.
10:58Detroit Lions, right?
11:00Quarterback, obviously, Jameer Gibbs, big playmaker.
11:03We'll be interested to see how their running back room comes together.
11:05You know that they've got pass catchers, Amara, Jamison, well, J-Mo,
11:09Sam Laporta.
11:10Defense, you know that they've got Aiden Hutchinson, healthy, good to go.
11:13Brian Branch, Jack Campbell.
11:14They've got names, and they've got that all together, right?
11:17Fair enough.
11:18Denver Broncos?
11:20Yeah, Denver Broncos I can go with.
11:22Yeah, I can get down with.
11:23San Francisco 49ers?
11:25I don't know.
11:25We're starting to get to that place.
11:26What number are they?
11:27Eighth.
11:28Okay.
11:28Okay.
11:29And then you get to the Texans.
11:30So, like, again, you kind of see what's happening here, but it does feel like the Texans would
11:35get more love if there was more belief in C.J. Stroud around, which maybe...
11:40I think that's the big part.
11:41That does in some ways.
11:42Okay, so let me ask this question.
11:43Do you think that C.J. Stroud is being underrated nationally?
11:46No, I don't think he's being underrated.
11:48I think, you know, it's not a matter of he's being underrated.
11:50I think it's a matter of people are trying to find out what's real with him.
11:54You know, there's no rating.
11:56It's like you had him rated so highly, and then now he's rated lowly, lower, and so
12:01you're trying to think, okay, where's the real C.J. Stroud?
12:04Which one is it?
12:05Yeah, so in the same way that we've talked about, it feels like everything kind of falls
12:10into the lap of what does C.J. Stroud look like.
12:12And, again, it'll show up.
12:14It'll show up depending on, especially if they've got this run situation together, getting
12:18out here in base.
12:19I did see something that kind of pointed to C.J. Stroud not being that good throwing against
12:22base last year, but it's fair to ask the question.
12:24He kind of alluded to it there.
12:25It's fair to ask the question.
12:26Well, he alluded to not having very much opportunities in base.
12:29But, yeah, the 26%, yeah.
12:31Right, so if you have more opportunities in base, is C.J. Stroud able to take advantage
12:36of it more, or was it just simply there was not enough opportunities to take advantage
12:40of it?
12:40Right.
12:40These are questions that are worth asking, but, again, the thing that's frustrating about
12:44me right now is that there's no resolution until we get on the field and see these guys.
12:49So excited, excited for the first opportunities that we get when they come around.
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