00:00It takes us to the Baltimore Ravens, and this is a team that the Texans have a lot of experience
00:07with in the regular season.
00:09They have played every year that they have run into since D'Amico has been here.
00:14That group has played the Ravens in the regular season and in the playoffs before.
00:20Last year was a different Ravens team, but there's a lot of history between this Texans group and that Ravens
00:29team.
00:30And there's a lot of change with the Ravens this year, Clint.
00:32John Harbaugh was there for 18 years.
00:34He and his staff is gone, and Jesse Minter, who is a Harbaugh, oddly enough, a Jim Harbaugh disciple,
00:44was at Michigan with him, and then with the Chargers as his defensive coordinator, he takes over to become the
00:49head coach.
00:50And then Declan Doyle is the offensive coordinator coming from the Bears, was the O.C. under Ben Johnson there.
00:59And they've also made some moves on the field.
01:02We know we've talked about Tyler, a big loss for them.
01:06Isaiah likely a big loss for them, but they were also able to bring in Trey Hendrickson.
01:11We remember the Max Crosby situation.
01:13Trey Hendrickson is who they ended up going with.
01:16And then they've really strengthened their offensive line, both in the draft and in free agency.
01:21So this has been one of the AFC heavyweights.
01:25Heavyweights.
01:26I know you said you're at a 10 with the Buffalo Bills.
01:31Where are you with the Baltimore Ravens?
01:33Well, I mean, I'm going to be honest with you.
01:37I was hoping you would be.
01:39I'd probably go with nine.
01:43It's interesting.
01:44You have more concern about Buffalo, a team that the Texans have handled pretty well, and a little bit lesser
01:54concern with the Ravens.
01:55A team, when they've been the Ravens, they have beat the hell out of the Texans.
02:01Seems like almost going into last year, I think that's the one team where you're like, damn, man.
02:07That's the team that seems to really get their problems.
02:10The level of success that the Texans have had versus the Bills scares me on this end.
02:15It's almost a false confidence.
02:17It's almost too, because it was too much of, I mean, it was just an absolute tail kicking multiple times.
02:24But, yeah, look, I would say a nine with Baltimore.
02:27Look, I do wonder how much of a, you know, how far gone was the team with John Harbaugh?
02:36Was this just a, the defense had a bunch of injuries and kind of fell off, or was this a
02:41culture collapse?
02:44Was this hung around two years too long?
02:46Guys tuned him out, so the culture started to slide the other direction.
02:51There's that piece, and there's also the piece of a new offensive coordinator with Lamar Jackson.
02:58Although he's fared well in these situations previously, you know, I don't, that's always new head coach, new offensive play
03:05caller.
03:06There's a lot of new there that just, look, I said a nine.
03:11It just keeps me from, I'm explaining why it's not a ten, I guess.
03:14That's the difference in Buffalo.
03:15I just say that because this is a team that has given, I would say the Ravens, again, when they've
03:23been the real Ravens,
03:25that's probably the team that has given the Texans the most problems of anybody.
03:29When it's been John Harbaugh's Ravens, yes.
03:31When it's been Lamar Jackson's Ravens, yes.
03:34But, look, you've got Lamar Jackson, so a lot like Buffalo, you've got a dude that I just, I think
03:38you're crazy if you ever underestimate,
03:41and it's not a concern.
03:43I do believe that that defense gets significantly better.
03:46Anthony Weaver, by the way, old Texan coach here, is the D.C. there.
03:51I believe they're significantly better just because they're healthier and more together.
03:55They get Nnamdi Matabuke potentially back with Hendrickson.
04:02Obviously, Kyle Hamilton's over there.
04:04Yeah.
04:04So, I think the defense is significantly better, and they've still got Lamar and the history you spoke of.
04:10So, I would go with a nine.
04:12I think it would be a mistake to underestimate Baltimore just because of what happened last year in a coaching
04:18change.
04:18Yeah.
04:18Yeah, the coaching change, I'd say probably short of a 10, some unknown there.
04:26Like, what are you, what are you getting?
04:29But, man, they got some, there's almost a bit of an Astros feel of, they got some real elite dudes.
04:38Like, there's some weirdness around it.
04:40But Lamar is elite.
04:42Derek is, I'm going to stop trying to figure out when Father Tom is going to grab Derek Henry because
04:50it is just not, I thought it might last year.
04:54But he runs for 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns anyway at age 32.
05:00So, I'm going to stop, I'm going to stop believing that potentially is going to happen.
05:04But, I mean, you know, him and Zay Flowers is a guy coming into his own, and Ronnie Stanley is
05:11still there, and as we said, Matabike, and Kyle Hamilton might be the best safety in football.
05:18And Roquan Smith is still over there.
05:19So, they've got some dudes, but I do, like, I, you know how we talk about the Texans and their
05:25skilled positions, you know, perimeter-wise, it's not exactly, like, scary to hear.
05:33Like, when was the last time they did?
05:35Yeah, I mean, Zay Flowers, like, there was a deal where, I mean, they had Andrews and Likely together, there
05:41was something there.
05:42But, I mean, Andrews, Devontae, Walker, Bateman, like, you know, don't really scare you there, but obviously Lamar makes, Lamar
05:55and Henry, the combination, makes everything so much easier for everybody.
05:59Yeah, they're definitely going to be, look, I mean, again, if they ever commit to Jackson, if Declan Doyle, the
06:07new offensive coordinator, who, out of Sean Payton, I guess I would say,
06:11Sean Payton's tree, and then obviously spent some time with Ben Johnson in Chicago as well.
06:17If he, you know, it's going to be interesting to see what he tries to do with Lamar and Derek,
06:24because that is one where, boy, if they are a true attack offense with those two guys leading the way,
06:31good God.
06:31Yeah, you just don't know how they're going.
06:33I feel like Jesse Mentor's going to have the defense improved.
06:35You would think so.
06:36You would think so.
06:38With those guys there, someone texted in, I have more fear of the Ravens than the Bills.
06:42For some reason, Buffalo doesn't move me.
06:44It might be their defense.
06:47Yeah.
06:47Yeah, I just, it is hard for me to shake my mind when that matchup against the Texans.
06:53Yeah.
06:54Like, when we've watched that, that has just been.
06:56Well, you're talking about the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens also are two teams that I would say have the
07:01ability to run the ball on anybody.
07:05And running the ball on the Texans kind of takes some of their sting away defensively.
07:09And so, no pun intended there, Stingley.
07:11But, you know, you do that and you can neutralize the strongest point.
07:16Plus, you've got one of the best quarterbacks.
07:19Both teams obviously have one of the best quarterbacks in the game.
07:22So, that's an advantage.
07:23So, yeah, both of those teams being able to run the football, I just think it would be, I think
07:28it would be a major mistake.
07:29Like, the Buffalo thing.
07:31Now, I've got the Texans beating Buffalo.
07:32So, I know, I'm not saying that I'm above it.
07:34But, I'm really uncomfortable with the whole, boy, they've really had Buffalo and Josh Allen's number the last couple years.
Comments