Welcomeboard, Welcome to another Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety Dad Matthews Live and local h town breakdown of the world that matters to you, the Houston sports world.
All these great Houston fans here. We love you all. So finish up on that to do list.
Lout up the cooler because you can't drink in talk sports all day if you don't start. Now bear me in the eight This is Space City Saturday's ine.
Here's seven nineties Dad Matthews.
In a way we go here on Space City Saturday.
Dean Matthews here with you.
For the next couple of hours, looking forward to being able to cover it all soup to nuts right here as you heard, Doug Pike kind of lead me into it right there where by the way too. I've got a merchandising item for Doug Pike. An idea for Doug Pike is you know I heard one of his promos yesterday and he had a good line in it where
he goes, if you drive him, shoot him or spool him. So, Doug, if you're still out there listening, I think we need to create a shirt for the Doug Pike Show where the front of it says, drive them, shoot him or spool them, and then on the back have the time of the show and on Sports Talk seven to ninety and Doug Pike Show, I'm thinking that maybe there's a merchandising opportunity there, Doug. So anyway, just wanted to get that out of the way off the top of the show.
But as I mentioned, we got a lot to be able to chew on today. I mean, even though the Astros are not in the postseason, we're not gonna talk much postseason because I'm sure most of you are casual at best in terms of watching it. I mean, I know that I have been. It's been pretty much with me. If I have almost any thing else to be able to watch, then I say, yeah, I'm not gonna watch
Dodgers Mets. I'm not gonna watch the Yankees Guardians. Although I mean the other night we were treated to a pretty classic finish in the Guardians game, which again, you know I was able to catch as highlights. But I mean, you know, there's still excitement, there's still fun, there's all of that, and you know it's funny. Last night having dinner at a place up here in the Woodlands area, with my fiance and I said, you know what, I'll be very honest, this is much more relaxing to watch.
But I kind of miss that, like, you know, hanging on every pitch, hanging on every play. So hopefully the
Astros can get that back for us next season. But as it stands right now, the Yankees as painful as it is to hear, and painful enough for me to say the Yankees one went away from moving on to the World Series and look talked about a little bit earlier in the week with Ross villar Real, and I threw out the hashtag on Twitter, hashtag shot or stabbed, because you kind of feel like, if it is the World Series, then I'm sure that Fox really wants in
Major League Baseball. Really once again, if you put him in that room of truth, I mean, it is kind of a little bit of a deal of would you rather be shot or would you rather be stabbed? And in this case right here, it's kind of like you start to play through it in your mind.
You're like, well, you know, if.
This happens, I mean, you know, that's somewhat okay, and if that happens, but you know, we're not going to talk much about that. I've spent more time on it than we needed to spend, which, by the way, too, is I'm talking you know this through right now.
I'm loving that. You know.
One of my favorite things every single week on college game day is the kids kicking the football. And the one kid who just kicked it from Texas absolutely hit a worm burner, and he's asking for another chance because I think if he makes this kick, it's for ninety thousand dollars. He's got Tony Hinchcliffe in his face too, making fun of him. If you watch the Tom Brady roast or if you know about Kill Tony, which, by the way, shout out with the Kill Tony.
You guys remember Trey Trey Campbell.
The guy that used to be one of our producers here at Sports Talk seven ninety. He's a regular contributor on Kill Tony. Pretty good comedian, So if you're ever in the Austin area, look up Trey. But anyway, Hinchcliffe one of the best roasters out there, and I think they are going to give this Texas kid another chance, which I mean I think after that, which, by the way too, it's also as well. I understand it's hard
enough to be able to make. But as McAfee gets into like the one hundred thousand dollars range and like the ninety thousand dollars range, I kind of feel like, oh, and they didn't need to give him another chance, brutal.
I kind of feel like like you need to like make it, like, hey, if you're going to make this kick, like you know, kind of like in basketball you go to a rocket scheme, you know how they do like the thirty second challenge or I can't remember exactly what they call it, but you get the layup, you get the free throw, you get the three, and then of course if you run out of time on those, or even if you make all three of them, you get
the one shot. For I believe it's ten grand is what they do at the Rockets games.
I mean, it's a.
Good chunk of change, and you got to make a half court shot. So I think that, you know, it's one of those things that you got to make people work for their money on that. But anyway, that's a side note on that. We'll get into plenty of Texans talk in this show today because Texan's up.
In Green Bay and you're gonna hear from somebody.
A little bit later on, as a matter of fact, about thirty minutes from now, Mike Heller from ninety seven to three up there in Milwaukee joined us on the A team earlier this week, and he was talking about this is gonna be the Packers' biggest challenge this season.
Now, I know some of you out.
There might be listening and saying, well, wait a minute, didn't Green Bay play against Minnesota and he seemed to believe that the Texans might be able to put together a better test for them than the Vikings did. I think that a lot of just don't believe in Sam Darnold right now. And I mean, I know he's played incredibly well. I know that it's one of those things with him where you're looking at him and saying, this is the guy that I think the Jets thought they
were getting coming out of USC. Just took him a little longer to kind of get to this point. And who knows. I mean, since we're in the business of always making comparisons, maybe Minnesota is to him like what Sean Payton and New Orleans was to Drew Brees.
I mean, remember, Brees was.
Kind of a guy that I don't think had a ton of expectations when he was with San Diego and at the time, yes, it was the young kids out there. It was the San Diego Chargers, not the LA Chargers. But when he was there and finally replaced by Philip Rivers, he was kind of thought of. I mean remember too as well, it's the old story that Nick Saban has
told numerous times. They thought they were gonna get Drew Brees there in Miami and he failed as physical because he had a shoulder issue, and then I guess had that shoulder issue corrected and then was able to go to New Orleans and it was a marriage and a match made in Heaven for Sean Payton and the Saints. So that might be the case with Sam Darnold. But I also though think too as well that no matter how good you are, there is a regression that comes.
I think it comes this weekend against the Detroit Lions. I get no Aiden Hutchinson for Dan Campbell's team, but also too at the same time, I do think that that is a Lions team that is playing really, really good football. And by the way, too, they'll factor in a little bit later on in the show. And we've got some audio to play from somebody who was not too pleased about the Lions and how they handled the
end of that game last weekend. And oh yes, oh yes, you know that we're going to get into Jerry Jones with my good buddy R.
JH.
Choppie and Sean Sharief up there in Dallas earlier this week. And I mean, I think that there is a comparable angle here as well, because you all listen. You know that during Rocket season, for example, every single week on the Matt Thomas Show, you're.
Gonna hear Emai Udoka on.
And during Astro season, you know that on the Sean Salisbury Show, we're gonna get the general manager, which, by the way too, you know some people out there might be confused of why does Jerry Jones go on the radio? No owner goes on the radio. Well, it's also the GM of the football team. So the GM usually does join teams who have the broadcast rights, says the flagship stations usually does join them weekly.
So that's what the case is up there.
Like I said, down here in Houston, we get Dana Brown every single week, and then of course Joe Spot every single week on the Matt Thomas Show.
So that's the beauty of being a flagship station.
Excuse me getting choked up kind of talking about it, But I am going to talk us through just a little bit of you know, kind of you know what that's all about. I mean, I think that there is kind of a little bit of a thought that because you're the flagship station, that means you have to carry the water for the team.
I mean, I.
Think that, and I don't want to give away too much of it right now now, but I mean there is a little bit of a fine line to kind of work. Yes, you are business partners. That is the reality of it all. You are business partners. And when you are in a partnership with somebody, you kind of try to look out for them, but then also too, you want them to look out for you as well, but also too as well. We're in a business that criticism is part of the game, and it is part of the business.
But we'll get into it all.
A little bit later on, And you know, it's kind of a I think we can all agree who everybody believes was in the wrong in that scenario, but we'll play it for you a little bit later on in the show. Probably second hour of the show is when we'll get into all of that.
But we will do that.
And like I mentioned at the top of the show, Dusty Baker, he was on with Joel Sherman and John Hayman talking about his time with the Astros. Would he maybe want to try to give it one more go at being a manager, why he stepped away, and also to some interesting thoughts about the future of the Astros that I think has a lot of credence from him because obviously he knows about this phase of where the Astros are right now, and he was the last manager to lead him to the LCS. I mean, you know,
just a year one of Joe Spota. But I just thought he had some interesting comments. I know at first, I'm sure some of you when you read the comments, if you did the Chronicle threw him up there. I'm sure you were probably like, wait a minute, Dusty, like, you know, do you feel like you have like an axt.
To grind against this team.
I didn't take it that way at all, and I think that you're going to listen to it, and I think you're going to hear that that's not the case. There are some things that I think probably raises a little bit of attention for some of you because you're kind of like, well, you know, why wasn't this brought up when you were there? Who's to say it wasn't brought up? But anyway, I don't want to give away too much of the surprise. I'm gonna let you hear from Dusty himself and we will do that a little
bit later on as well. Also to get into just a small amount of Rockets talk on this show today, because yes, the season starts on Wednesday. Gonna be an exciting season. Looking forward to it definitely. I want to see how, you know, how deep this roster truly is, and just some scenarios that I could kind of see playing out this season for the Rockets. I was actually talking about it with a good buddy of mine. It's a huge Rocket fan, and you know, of course, there's
a lot of questions about this team. Number One, can you kick in that door? Can you at least make the play in Round this year? Or can you be one of those top six teams in the Western Conference and find your way out of the play In Round and waiting for one of those play in teams to come in and be able to be part of that group of eight that in Earnest gets a chance to go for the Ilari O'Brian Trophy this season. But it's going to be an exciting year looking forward to it.
I know that Matt Thomas and the interchanging group of Adam Clanton and Adam Wesler bringing you the games this year, looking forward to that.
Of course, me and Ross.
And a cast of others also going to have rocket launch pads and postgame shows for you this season, so definitely looking forward to that. Definitely looking forward to seeing what does Reed Shepherd look like this year. I know that, even though it's the preseason, you had to really like what you saw at alprin Shingoon and also out of Jalen Green as well, Men Thompson another year in the league, Tarry Eason coming back. You saw how much of a factor he was for this team last year. So definitely
want to see what those guys have this year. But coming up next we'll get into some Texans.
Conversation in Earnest.
Because a path to a win for the Texans, I do think it's pretty simple, but it's just how well they can do that is another issue.
We'll talk about that.
On the other side, It's Dan Matthews here on Space City Saturday.
What's you until noon? On your Home of the Astros and the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety.
Welcome back to Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Sports Talks seven ninety.
Dan Matthews here with you and your home the Astros and the Rockets. As you can always count on, Melvin Brown will always find the right tone to introduce the segment here on Space City Saturday. And maybe a little bit of foreshadowing right there, Melvin, you say, and another one bites the dust in terms of a Texans victim this year, because well, at least five out of six weeks this year.
That has been the case. They're trying to make it six out of seven.
They get the Green Bay Packers tomorrow up there at Landbow. And I know that probably some of you if you are packing your bags this week, you know you're doing like I think most of us do. Whenever you're packing up for a trip, You're looking at your phone, checking the weather. What does the weather app say? And the weather app saying Chamber of Commerce day. So even though it is the middle of October, which I don't think
it's fully cold there yet. I mean it's not necessarily that way much of anywhere around the country at this point. But supposed to be high sixties, low seventies tomorrow, so the frozen tundra it will not be there at Lambeau. So Texan's going to have a nice weather day to be able to work with. They're in the in the Great North there in Green Bay. If you want to weigh in on the Texans conversation, you can do so. Phone lines are open, readily available as well. Someone three
two one two five seven ninety. Once again, that's someone three two one two five seven ninety. I know, you know, not everybody is huge on calling in. That's fine if that's the case. My Twitter account is always a great place where you can interact with us here on Space City Saturday, and I'm at Dan Matthews h O U one t in Matthews at Dan Matthews hou is where you can find me there.
As I've seen.
Some people already weighing in, one person, Ashley saying that she has watched more WNBA Finals than she has watched the MLB postseason. I mean, I never really thought that I would get into the show Vampire Diaries. But fiance is a huge fan of Vampire Diaries, you know, Stepan Damien. They have a bourbon too. By the way, if I'm not mistaken, I think that Adam's wife Teresa did an event with them a couple of years ago at one
of our great sponsors, Specs. But anyway, that's that's that's been on the TV a lot more than the NLCS or the Alcs have been on And of course if the blue and orange of the Astros is not part of the Alcs, well then yeah, our attention is elsewhere. But anyway, it is, you know, just part of a new way of the Astros, you know, just kind of navigating through the end of this season, but also too as well getting ready for the next season when hopefully they can tee it up and get it going again.
One thing though, before get into my Texans conversation, I threw this out on Twitter as well, and I see Eric has waited on it. Where right before I joined you all on the show today, I guess Nick Saban was kind of putting the crowd there at Texas through a little bit of kind of a locker room speech of like he was speaking to his team and it was firing everybody up. I gotta be honest, you know, it's one of those things. It's kind of firing me
up too as well. But threw it on Twitter. Who knew that Nick Saban would absolutely relish being on college game day And one Eric, who I know is in the business, said, I did, if you talked to him one on one talk about life, very kind, very charming, And yeah, I found that to be the case as well.
But anyway, he's having fun. Looks like a fun atmosphere up there at Texas today, got the signs going, I mean seeing that almost every single sign is pretty much getting after Georgia for the legal issues they've had off the field. But no, it's looking like a fun time there. There's set up right there in front of the tower at ut SO looking like a pretty awesome atmosphere up there.
And you know what, Hey, if.
Any of you are heading up to the game right now, you got us on either the app, if you're outside the listening area, or if you're still in the listening area and making your drive either up ten to seventy one or up to ninety, give us a shout out. So you know, we'll definitely be getting into some Texas Georgia conversation a little bit later on. Like I said, coming up here in about ten minutes, we're gonna hear from Mike Heller from ninety seven to three in Milwaukee.
He joined us on the A team to give us the Packers side of tomorrow's game against the Texans, and then bottom of next hour we're gonna hear from Craig Way, of course, who you hear mostly here on Sports Talk seven to ninety for Longhorn games, but for this one today,
little PSA for you, a little programming notes. It's gonna be over on news Radio seven forty k TRH tonight because in terms of pregame shows and broadcasts starting before the other one, LSU's is actually starting before the Texas one. So we're gonna have right here on Sports Talk seven ninety we're gonna have LSU and Arkansas, which is gonna
be a really good game in its own right. And I know that some of you out there might be saying, well, of course you think so, Dan, I'm sure that you and Gordy are probably fired up about that, and we are, but it's also too I mean, you know, LSU had a tough one last week. Their games against Arkansas are always very tough, and as you've seen the Hawks this year,
they've already gotten one team on their home field. They're hoping to make it two in a row of being able to add another loss to a team's season, as LSU in a little bit of a tough stretch this season right here. I mean, I think, if I'm not mistaken, it's Arkansas today, which is no easy shakes. You come to College Station next weekend against the Aggies, and then you go to or excuse me, Alabama comes to play
them in Baton Rouge. So if LSU is going to try to remain a one loss team this season, they're going to have earned it because all three of those tests going to be incredibly tough for them. So we'll see what Brian Kelly's team is made of. But for the Texans tomorrow taking on this Green Bay Packers, I was about say Minnesota Vikings team, Now they already did that and that one was a little bit of a
tough day for them. It is going to be a situation where you're facing a team that is pretty decent against the run, green Bay's run defense gives up four point three yards per run. They've given up six hundred and sixty yards on the ground this season. But also too, this is a team that will also cause you to turn the football over. They forced five fumbles this season in the run game, and they are actually the best in the NFL at punching out the football for ball
carriers out the backfield. So that is something to keep an eye on it for this team. I mean, you know, that's one thing that you've heard Demiko Ryans talk about all week, and even you know, other players on this team have talked about the fact that the Texans are going to need to be mindful of that that this is a Green Bay team that is very turnover conscious. They will try to punch the football out either in
the run or in the passing game. And also too, they'll intercept the footballs as well, and they will get you.
In that regard.
But I talked about this a little bit last night with Ross on the Nightcap, and you know, I think that the key to the Texans win is going to be kind of the way that they've gotten two of them this season, and in both of those games, the factor was you had Joe Mixon being able to make plays for you last week, yet Damian Pierce also being able to help out for you in the explosive plays for the Texans in that win over New England came in the run game. As you got Joe Mixon with
a long touchdown run. You got you know, Damian Pierce as well well with a long touchdown run for the Texans, And those are parts of the game that's going to be huge for this team tomorrow. So I think that there are three factors for the Texans to be able to come away with a win tomorrow. Number One, you've got to be able to establish the run and it is gettable right there. I mean, as I talked about, I mean teams averaging about four yards of carry, and
I mean you come out of it. If you run on first down, you get it to second and six, maybe you can run again. Then you're in third and short and maybe it's a possibility right there. So that's something that is definitely in the back pocket of Bobby Slowick, and that's a huge part of it. The second part of it as well, you cannot turn the football over in this game. I mean, this has been a Texans defense that for a couple of games this season has
been very good at being able to force takeaways. And what was also the constant in being able to force those takeaways. They did it against two rookie quarterbacks. You did it earlier this season against Caleb Williams, and you're going to excuse me. Last week you faced Drake may As, another rookie quarterback who was making his first start. And you're not facing a rookie quarterback, but you are facing a young one in.
Jordan Love.
As you know, yesterday I was listening to the Matt Thomas Show, and I believe it was the Packers play by play man who talked about that Love sometimes will be a little reckless with the football. So that's something else that, you know, kind of trying to cheat the angle here a little bit if you're the Texans, is maybe you can be able to force a takeaway or two and that helps you out. So the turnover margin is going to be huge in this game tomorrow and
the final one. I think that probably we can point to the Buffalo game. Even into last week, the Texans have started to kind of cool it on the penalty front, and this is going to be interesting tomorrow. You're going into a hostile environment. I mean, lambeau Field is a tough place to play, it's even tougher when it is the frozen tundra. It's not going to be that, but still, I mean, that's a rally fan base, that is a
fan base that shows up and supports their team. And I mean that's something that you know, you went into a hostile environment in Minnesota and you had a lot of pre snat penalties. You just had a sloppy afternoon in that game and ended up not going your direction and you came out of there with your first loss of the season. So I think that's going to be a huge part of a discipline part of this game tomorrow is not only the pre snat penalties, but also too.
I mean we've also seen after the play penalties with this Texans team of you know, unnecessary roughness or you know, even unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, any of those things. That's going to be something to keep an eye on for this Texans team tomorrow. And I think those are the three ways that this team is able to come out with
a really good win. If you are able to do that and you come into a situation where next week you come back home for the Colts, as you know, that's going to be a team that's gonna be looking to try to get revenge for the first week's loss. I mean kind of like I think the Texans were ripping and ready to go for that game against the Colts last year for a has to go to the playoffs, where I think they kind of came out of that Week two game last year saying, hey, you know we
should have beaten those guys. How do you think Anthony Richardson and the coltsfield coming into this game this next week. So you're getting into where we've talked about, you know, this being a tough schedule for this team, and it is going to be a you know, tough stretch that you're going to be entering into right now that pretty much every single team you're going to see for about the next five or six weeks is going to be
a playoff potential team. So you know, if you feel like you're one of the best in the AFC, you've got to be able to prove it. And it starts tomorrow. And those are the three parts of the team. I mean, you've heard Tamiko Ryan say it numerous times, you cannot beat yourself. And at least in that Minnesota game, the Texans beat themselves, and they nearly beat themselves, and the wins over Indianapolis and over Chicago as well, and nearly
did it against the Jacksonville Jaguars as well. But again, I mean, five out of the six weeks this year, you've been able to You've been able to come out on the right side of the game because you've been able to close it out there in those close games late in the ballgame. And that's gonna be something else to be able to hopefully have go your way again tomorrow.
So we'll see how it all goes. And we'll also hear about the Packers side of the game tomorrow because, like I said earlier this week on the A team, we had a chance to be joined by Mike Heller, who is also part of the Packers radio pregame show up there in Wisconsin, as he joined us from ninety seven at three ninety seven to three of the game up there in Milwaukee. As we will hear from him next right here as we continue to roll along here
on Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews here on your home of the Astros and the Rockets Sports Talks seven ninety.
This is Space City Saturday. On Sports Talk seven ninety.
Seven ninety Space City Saturday.
Dan Matthews here with you on your home of the Astros and the Rockets. Like I said, we're gonna hear from Mike Keller here in just a second, but real quick, Martin and Angleton wants to weigh in on Sports Talk seventy ninety.
Martin, what's going on?
Yeah, Dan, before I had to say, I'm a big Oilers Texans fan. All the way you said that the Texans beat themselves against the Vikings, I totally disagree with that. The Vikings just beat the h E double chopsticked out of the Texans in every way.
I mean, I think it was a combination of the two Martin. I mean, yeah, I'm not taking anything away from the Vikings. I'm not going Lane Kiffin and Jackson Dart for Ole miss against LSU last week of saying, oh, you know, we lost the game, they didn't win it. No, that's not what I'm saying. But I mean you even heard Demiko Ryans after the game say we have to
stop beating ourselves. So it was a combination of both of those things in that game, and the Texans being on discipline pre snap was a huge part of why they didn't come out of that game with a win.
Well, yes, the Texans made mistakes, but it was because of the Vikings that they made mistakes. That's my point. The Vikings just kick the living kick the living ass out of them, and as simple as that. For me, that's that's the way I look at it. It was the Vikings, not the Texans.
I appreciate the call, Martin.
I mean yes, I mean, like we said, you know, it was a great effort in that game. And also too as well. I mean the Vikings had you know, we're playing really good football that day. They were able to convert third downs, they were able to you know, keep the Texans off the field, turn the Texans over. So no, I'm with you on that, but I mean it is also too as well. Again, I mean it's
a mutual relationship in that part right there where. I mean I think the you know, Texans could have been able to allow things to go a different direction had they been a little bit more cleaner on their side.
But that was weeks ago.
Don't have to worry about it now, and hopefully you've learned from it too as well, because I mean that's something else that can come out of a football seasons. A week doesn't go your way, Well, what did we do wrong? All right, let's take inventory of that, and then let's be able to try to make sure we don't repeat those same mistakes again to allow for a game to spiral out of control like it did that
afternoon in Minnesota. And that's indeed what happened against the Vikings, so hoping that's not gonna be the case again tomorrow against the Packers. Speaking of the Packers on the Green Bay side of things, we had a chance to catch up with Mike Heller of ninety seven to three up there in Milwaukee, as they are the flagship of the Packers,
as he joined us on the A team. He's also too part of the Packers pregame show up there, but anyway, he joined us on the A team this week, and let's hear that visit right now.
Mike Heller joins us from the Mike Heller Show seven to three the game they're in Milwaukee. I really appreciate the opportunity to catch up with you, Mike, talk about this matchup and kind of where things stand for these two teams, And there are a lot of reasons why I think they can be tied together kind of from the timeline of each of their quarterbacks making their twenty second start. Both became full time starters at the beginning
of this past season. Obviously, Jordan Love had been there for a bit before that happened, but late last season it seemed like they were consistently producing eye popping numbers week after week after week as both of these franchises were charging towards playoffs, and then they each won their opening playoff game before falling the following week.
Do you believe in is there any sense.
Of that there in Green Bay in Packerland that these two quarterbacks are going to be quote unquote kind of with each other over the next handful of years.
Yeah, I sure think so. I think they're going to be compared favorably towards one another, even though they weren't in the same draft class. To your point, they began starting at the same time, and the numbers that both have put up have been pretty extraordinary, maybe more so for Stroud because he was doing so in his rookie season. But I looked at Jordan Love the back half of last year when he was going on an eighteen touchdown
one interception run. It was just really impressive. And that Packers' mantra, their marching orders, as it seems, has been now for more than thirty years, is to put the quarterback in waiting. You know, they did it with Aaron Rodgers for three years. They did it with Jordan Love for three years, and that model has worked really well. And Stroud's just really impressive every time I see him do his work. I'm impressed. The quarterbacks are pretty similar too,
aren't they. I mean, neither one wants to run. They can, but they want to beat you with their legs to their arm rather than just their legs.
There's no question about it.
I'm curious what you think happened during that run of Love's excellency was clearly good. Prior to that, the record wasn't as good, and he obviously was making more mistakes.
So in that pocket of games where things went so well for him and obviously for the team, and I'm not sure how you view his four games this year compared to like the first six, seven, eight, games last year, Like, what's the real difference and when he was so incredibly sharp during that last you know, really eight games of the season.
Well, I think in part Adam Matt Lafleur deserves a lot of credit because he what he told us were the Packers flagship. What he told us is he just told him to let it go, let it fly, stop worrying so much, just play, stop thinking so much. I think that's an oversimplification of what they really told him. But I think at that point he just began to trust what he had learned and stopped worrying so much
about what he was doing. Plus, I also give credit to the head coach and the bodies around him that he young. The Packers got a really young receiving corps, including the tight end Tucker Kraft and Luke Musk. Gravy was hurt right now, but the wide receivers, you know, Romeo Dobbs is relatively new to the to the NFL, had you know, the third fourth year in the league. Then you look at the Jayden Reid. Last year was
his rookie season. Christian Watson hasn't been healthy, but one he is, he can take the top off the defense, the Packers just had a ton of weapons in I think at some point last year, back half of the season, Love let it go. I think, look for there are some things there that are deeper than just let it fly. And then this year, I think the difference is Jordan Love had a sloppy first game and he didn't play.
He played one series three plays in the preseason. He had a sloppy first game, then had the MCL on the last offensive drive of that game. This two games, came back, wasn't sharp, and then in week two that he was back, he was much better. And then last week being back, he was fantastic.
It definitely seemed like that was a major uptick, just quickly before you get into the additional analysis from the practice report, with three of those four receivers you mentioned all Butt Dobbs listed is limited and Jyle Alexander there and Kraft as well, is there real concern that some of these players will not be available for the game.
It didn't seem like it.
I don't think so. Reid's injuried. He would be the one I would worry about. From a Houston perspective, I think that the defensive coordinator I think defensively, Houston and everybody else the Packers play have to account for Jaden Reid. He lines up a lot in the slot, but he is very much their best player in space once you get the ball in his hands, and he's got great hands and great instincts. Christian Watson is the speed component, and he is healthy and if you don't roll safety
help to him, he can run by defenders. He's a very talented player. And Romeo Dobbs is the combination. He is probably the best receiver. He's had an off field issue that we're not exactly certain what the base of the basis of it was, but he was suspended for a game, then last week came back and caught two touchdown passes. I think they're healthy enough, and I think Crap is healthy and he's a difference maker at the tight end position as well.
Yeah, definitely a good group.
Mike Heller talking with us here on Sports Talk seven to ninety on the A team yesterday. On our show just we were talking about off season moves and I thought one of the moves in the AFC that kind of shifted things in a positive direction maybe the best move addition was Derrick Henry going to the Baltimore Ravens, and if I was flipping it over to the NFC, I think two names stand out as maybe the most significant additions in the offseason. Clearly Kirk Cousins in Atlanta
is one. Xavier McKinney in the defensive backfield for the Packers. I can't imagine isn't the other or one of the others. I'm sure it's surprised everyone of how many plays he's made, But I think the expectations you tell me if I'm wrong, were that he would be a difference maker, regardless of whether it showed itself in interception after interception after interception.
Yeah, and dude's been great. He had interceptions in six straight games, the last game for the Giants a year ago and the first five games for the Packers this year. He didn't have one last Sunday. But he's always around the ball. He's a difference maker on the back end.
He's got good corners in front of him, especially in Jayra Alexander, and he trusts them and he trusts to put them in the right positions, and then he's allowed to truly roam and do what a free safety does best, and he has played the ball.
Last week, Kyler.
Murray didn't threaten him, didn't challenge anything deep over the middle, which is where McKinney has made his hay so far this year. But he has been you're dead on. I think he has been the most significant offseason edition of any team in the NFC, with some credit to Kirk Cousins as well, but he's been a difference maker without a question. The Packers also are faster defensively than they've been in recent years. Eger and Cooper, a linebacker Koy
Walker and his third year as a linebacker. Their speed reduced what Kyler Murray could do a week ago. They held Jalen Hurts in some check in the opening game. They've they've been really good. So the Packers' defense, with a new defensive coordinator this year, Jeff Athlete, who came from Boston College as their head coach, has been a breath of fresh air. The Packers are more aggressive defensively.
They play more pressman and they've taken taken some opportunity to get after him turn the ball over seventeen times already. The Packers have gotten turnovers this year, and that's in six games. Last year, in seventeen games, they had eighteen turnovers, so they have been fantastic in taking.
The ball away.
Yeah, I think that number seventeen struck me as most impressive, and that no other team even has fourteen. They've got four more takeaways than every team, any team in the NFL. I've been asking this question throughout the week and really throughout the offseason, because I didn't really have a good answer for it.
I'm curious if you do.
Why did the Packers offensively decide to move on from Aaron Jones so they could move forward with Josh Jacobs.
I think the biggest reason is they traded years. They traded years for similar money and they got I think about well, he's three or four years younger, depending on where you look at the calendar. That they just got younger from Aaron Jones, who also last year his finish was fantastic and when he's on the field, he's a difference maker. However, he has not been on the field enough. He was loved in Green Bay. But they traded youth for about the same amount of overall money that they
were investing in Aaron Jones. And in this league, the goal is to always be young, and certainly Brian Goodikunz the Packers GM has embraced that model because they are again and I think it's the third straight year that the Packers are the youngest team in the NFL.
Yes, the rest of their division, which is very good, and the rest of the NFC, I definitely think, is very unhappy about that fact.
And we've been talking about it all week.
I'm curious in this final minute here, what's been your view and what's been the talk about facing CJ.
Stroud in this Texans offense.
Yeah.
I think it's the best team that Green Bay has played this year. And I say that with some level of understanding that I'm sliding by Minnesota, who beat you, who beat Houston in their head to head match up. The Packers lost to Minnesota, and the Vikings are five and oher so I get it. But I think Houston is the best overall team that the Packers will have seen so far. They'll get Detroit in a couple of
weeks and maybe that will be in that mode. This is kind of for a lot of us, This is kind of a prove it game for the Packers there they're foreign to They won a couple of games with Malik Willis and then with Jordan Love. Last week was easily his best performance, and I think Packers fans think that he has now found that rhythm again. But this is a prove it game for a lot of Packers fans to see if this team that's foreign too, is ready to make their run and truly be a Super Bowl contender.
I tend to believe fans here in Houston feel similarly about it being a prove it game on the road for the Texans. Mike really appreciate the time, Mike Heller, you can find him on the X platform at Heller Sports.
Really appreciate you joining us.
You're welcome, Adam, thank you all.
Right, there you go, And to echo what West through in there at the end of the interview with Mike, I mean interesting to hear him say that from the Packers perspective as well. I mean, he kind of feel like, you know, they've been a team that's played good football to this point. But funny enough, did you know that the Green Bay Packers are actually last place at the moment in the NFC North. That's tough division this year.
I mean, because you've got an improved Chicago team. You've got a Minnesota team that obviously is playing incredibly well, and the top two teams in the division gonna be playing each other tomorrow. It's gonna be Detroit against Minnesota. Believe that game is in Minnesota, so it'd be interesting to see who is able to take that one when it's all said and done. But Texans trying to pick up their six win of this season, it will not
be any easy shakes. And as a matter of fact, what you hear from both Tamiko Ryans and CJ Stroud on being able to try to pick up this win tomorrow. As we close out the ten o'clock hour here on Space City Saturday, if you want to weigh in, you can do so someone three two one two five seven ninety Once again, that's Sebon one three two one two five seven nine zero. As we continue to roll along here on Space City Saturday, on your home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk seven.
Ninety Space City Saturday continues on Sports Talk seven ninety seven ninety.
Dan Matthews here with you about another ten minutes left to go here in the first hour of the show. I mean, I think you all pretty much have a good theme of how the show goes. I mean during Astro's season, it's a lot of the first hour being about the Stros. Of course Stros not playing right now. Texans season is in, so get into a lot of Texans talk. So you want to do that, you can do so some one three, two, one, two five seven ninety. Dan Matthews here with you, Melvin Brown back in our
uptown GALLERYA Studios with us until noon. As next hour we'll get into a little bit of the Texas and Georgia game that's gonna be happening as well. I know that's gonna have a lot of people's attention. I mean I talked about it last week, how we were getting set up for a great weekend of football. I mean where you had some great games. You had Texas, so you you had also too as well. You know that
LSU ol Miss game. You know we focused on those in last week's show and of course getting you ready for the Texans getting that win against the Patriots and this week same deal. I mean, you've got a great day at college football, can have some great games tonight, Like I said, the Texas Georgia game, which again will be over on News Radio seven k TRH and the LSU Arkansas game is going to be on here Sports
Talk seven to ninety. But like I said, we were going to talk about the Texans and Packers tomorrow and let you hear from Demiico, Ryans and also CJ. Stroud as they both had some thoughts about this Texans team heading into the game. This was from earlier this week on Wednesday, when Dimiko met with the media. That's the first full day of practice to get ready for the game, but also to the first chance for the Demiico to
address injury concerns. And Henry Toto, we knew that he was going to be out with the concussion, or at least had a good idea that probably he was going to be out. We were wondering about Aziz al Shaier well. With the injury report coming out yesterday. Both players are out, so it's gonna be up to Neville Hewitt and Jake Hansen to make plays at the linebacker spot, and Demiko talked about the prospect of that being the case now that it's a reality.
Nevill and Jacob they've been here with us for a while, They've gotten a lot of reps. They know what, they know how we play, they know you know what to expect, they know how to communicate, so there's nothing new to them if they have to go out and get snaps. Feel confident in those guys being able to step up and help us.
And that's been a kind of a constant that Demiko has had all throughout his tenure. I mean, he's seemingly is a guy that is going to have the same answer whenever he is asked about an injured player, and he's going to say, yeah, you know, we'd love to have him, but we don't, and we've got to go out there and make plays with the guys we've got. And that's the same, you know, similar tone that he just struck right there by talking about nevill Hewitt and Jake Hanson. I mean, are they as good as as
Ziz Alshaier and Henry Totou. No, because well they would be on the field if indeed that were the case. But in this case right here, it's going to be a lot of plays for them. You've seen he would be able to make some good plays on special teams. And Hanson is somebody else that I think, you know, players and coaches alike, we're excited about coming out of a training camp this year, so they will get their chance. And you know, I think there's two things that you
have to look out for on this Packers team. One is the play action game. But what also sets up the play action game for the Packers is a strong run game and former Raider Josh Jacobs is a huge part of that, and Demiko Ryans says Jacobs is tough.
Thank It's been a nice addition for them.
I know Matt wants to run the football.
That's where they want to thrive, that's where they want to live first, names first. They want to establish a run game and it as much as they can. And so with Jacobs, he's a strong, powerful runner, great contact balance. You know, one guy doesn't take him down a lot, So it has to be a collective effort from our defense or backside guys, everybody getting off of blocks, closing, and we have to swarm and corral Jacobs because he's such a tough runner.
And that's also too.
I mean, you know a huge thing that the Texan's going to have to look out for tomorrow in terms of defending him, because you're not going to have Mario Edwards Junior is not going to be on the field for this one. You've had a couple of other guys go down. I mean fully, Photocossi is questionable for the game. Limited in practice yesterday with the shoulder. But I mean it does help that you get Derek Barnett back last
week and he's going to be available to you. Obviously, you know what Willie Anderson Junior and also what you know the Daniel Hunter are capable of on the edges, and also this week you get Denico Autry back. But I think the question is with Autrey is how much is he can be able to play in this game. I mean, he's missed the first six weeks of the season. You can do as many hill sprints, straight sprints, everything of the sort to be able to try to get
as much air in those lungs as possible. But we all know that, you know, the training for games and actually being in game shape are two different things. So I think that's something new keep an eye on with Autrey tomorrow. But in terms of guys that can help on the offensive end, I mean, we've talked about it. You're not going to have Nico Collins at least for the next couple of.
Weeks, so he's out for it tomorrow.
You do have Joe Mixon on the field, you do have Damian Pierce, and you also do have Daldon Schultz, Stefan Diggs, and Tank Dell C. J.
Stroud.
Speaking about a couple of those guys this week, the veterans of that group, Joe Mixon and Stefan Diggs, he says having them on the field definitely gives them confidence.
And Stephan Joe came here, they were just like, man, you got it, bro, You just you had what it takes because we've been around it, you know, these past couple of years, being around Borrow and Josh Allen, so you know, and they're not comparing me to those guys, I don't think, but you know, they're just telling me like I have that or I have that that way
I carry myself, you know. And so I thought that was pretty cool because I never really heard that before, especially with two guys who've been around some some really successful quarterbacks. So I thought that was pretty cool.
And I mean, you know that's the thing as well.
I mean, you want to have as much confidence as possible playing the quarterback position and c. J. Stroud definitely doesn't lack that, but also too, no matter how confident you are, it's nice to be able to hear from people of saying, hey, you got this, you can do this, You're pretty good at this, so keep going with it. So that's what obviously Joe Mixon and Stefan Diggs with their words show him, but they also can show it on the field with their play as well. Trying to
be able to do that again tomorrow. All right, coming up next, we will continue the Texans Conversation. If you want to weigh in, you can do so someone three two one two five seven ninety. I mentioned one player
during this segment that could factor tomorrow. Let you hear about him from a player, but also from a coach as well as we will continue the Texans Conversation as we start the eleven o'clock hour right here on Space City Saturday, Dan Matthews here with you until noon on Sports Talk seven ninety.
Welcome aboard, Welcome to another Space City Saturday. On Sports Talk seven ninety, Dad Matthews Live and local h Town breakdown of the world that matters to you, the Houston sports world.
All these great Houston fans here.
We love you all, so finish up on that to do list. Flute up the cooler because you can't drink in talk sports all day if you don't start now bear.
Me in the eight.
This is Space City Saturday. Here's seven nineties, Dad Matthews.
Indeed, we are Space City Saturday.
Dan Matthews here with you as we roll along here in our two of the show, continuing the Texans conversation right here. If you want to weigh in, do so. Sebon one three two one two five seven ninety. Once again, that's sub one three two one two five seven nine zero. A huge part of this Texans effort tomorrow is going to be the defensive effort and without some key players both up front but also to the linebacker corps, and I talked about Al Shaier and also too too, both
going to be down for this one. So it's the Neville Hewitt and Jake Hanson show for the Texans. And you know it's also to this the defense that kind of runs a four two five if you will, of four down linemen. Obviously we know who those guys are for the most part, two linebackers, because I mean you do have Jalen Petrie. That star position almost kind of as like a pseudo hybrid linebackers slash safety for the Texans still, but that is pretty much what they've been
running all season. You haven't had Christian Harris for much of the season. And also too, you haven't had the guy we want to talk about right now, Denico Autrey and what he can do. And you remember too, Audrey was one of the key signings for the Texans this offseason.
This was an off season.
Where I think we knew they were going to be pretty active in terms of being able to add to this this team because I mean, the beauty of it, and I've talked about it numerous times. You got a rookie quarterback right now that you don't have to make one of the highest paid in the league and is not going to chew up a large amount of your salary caps. So while you have a rookie quarterback, that's when you go get Stefan Diggs and Daniel Hunter and
Joe Mixon and also to Denico Autrey. So Audrey on that defensive line, a guy that is known as somebody that even from the interior of the line when put there at times can be able to make some really huge plays for you, and that is something that the Texans counting on tomorrow again facing a quarterback that, much like c J. Stroud, does have the ability to take off and run, but they do prefer to stay in the pocket and try to look downfield for throws and that's what Jordan Love tries to do.
That's what c J. Stroud tries to do.
But also too he's elusive enough to be able to get away from you and also you know, setting up the play action passing game which we talked about what Josh Jacobs is a huge reason why they are able to make that happen. So that is something that Texans will be keeping an eye on tomorrow, and Denico Autrey is somebody that will try to make Jordan Love's day
tough on him. As we had a chance earlier this week to have Adam Wesler out there in the locker room after one of the Texans practices, And'll Anderson was one of the players talking with the media after practice, and he talked about Daniko Autrey and what he has already gleaned from him through training camp, but also now getting him back in the fold after coming back from suspension, Anderson a huge fan of Autrey.
They got everybody in the d LA roll for real. For like, I really look him as a big brother, like we just I think we just have that relationship now.
Like he was.
Quiet when we first got here, like me mug everything. But like the more I staid pick on pig on the mess when he opened up a little bit.
Man.
But he's great having him there, man, Like I told him, I was watching his highide I think he celebrated until I watched his highlights and I seen him jumping up and down and he got me ready to play with him.
Man.
But he's gonna bring something different, like just his physical playing style, his relentless effort to get to the quarterback, even on the edge and side.
And you know that's the thing that you know, we've talked about the versatility there that the Texans can run in terms of being able to kind of have him all over the defensive line. And he's somebody that can rush from the interior. He's somebody that if you need him to rush from the outside, he can do that as well. I mean, remember two when the Texans signed him,
Remember it was Jeffrey Simmons of the Titans. I think his tweet was just simply damn in terms of being upset about losing him to the Texans and what you know, he brought to that Titans defensive front while he was there, and now it's here in Houston and the Texans are hoping that he can be able to make those havoc plays upfront much like he did during his time there
and joining Will Anderson. In terms of the chorus of praise for Autrey is his defensive coordinator Matt Burke talking about Audrey and what he brings to this defensive line, saying kind of in that same vein, he's a huge ad to this team.
Toughness first and foremost.
I would say he's a very unique rusher just as a sort of not really want to say hybrid, but as a big, big in an inside rusher. I mean, he's had successful spots, so it's uh, he just offers some different pitches in terms of or this. He rushes like an end inside, which is hard sometimes regards He's not a lot of times offensive lineman interior can there's not a lot of space. It's close quarters combat when you're rushing inside, right and so sometimes there's not a
lot of room for moves or things. You got to be a little bit more direct. Somehow he's able to create some space.
And I mean that's something too, like I talked about with some of the injured players on this team, of being able to add some of that versatility.
It's huge.
But you know, I think that it all comes down to exactly what I've talked about earlier with him, is that he is somebody that has been down. He has not played, he has not you know, taken on those blocks, he has not taken on that physicality that he is
going to be facing on the field. And also too, I mean just going through those plays, I mean, you know, this is something of a Green Bay Packer offense that likes to use a lot of pre snapp motion, likes to be able to try to kind of you know, have your eyes going different directions and you know, have your eyes being caught in the wrong spot. That's how they're able to make plays down the field. I mean, we've seen it all throughout Matt Lafleur's time with this team.
And I mean remember last year in the playoffs against the Cowboys, that was something that the Cowboys just could not adjust to and that's why you saw so many huge plays downfield for the Packer offense in that game.
And we also saw a playout too as well.
Of what I talked about earlier is something this team has to stay out of, and that is being able to stay out of turnover prone situations. And you know, if you're down in a game, they're trying to force throws down the field, that's when they can turn the football over. And also too as well, Like I said, I mean, they forced five fumbles in the run game this season. It's the best in the NFL. That's something else they're going to try to do. So, you know,
being able to have him out there. I know that Dylan Orton has done some good things since coming back on the field. Jerry Hughes as at times done some good things for you as well, and you've gotten good plays out of the defensive line as a whole. Where I think that it was a part of this team that had a little bit of concern. I mean, you know, there's two parts of you know, just the concern that goes into this this season is coming off of last year. I mean, you saw in the second half of that
game against the Baltimore Ravens. This was a team that was getting beaten upfront physically by the Ravens and being blown off the ball in certain cases, and they were able to, you know, pick up a huge chunksy yards on the ground in that game, and that was a
difference in the game. And the other part of it is, you know, a couple of days after that game, it was Demiko Ryans at the podium for his postseason, you know, end of year wrap up press conference, and he talked about, we've got to we've got to get better up front, We've got to get stronger, we've got to get bigger. We also have to have more guys that can roll through those spots. And it was a little bit of
an interesting offseason in that regard. I mean, where, yes, you do add Deniko Autry, you added Mario Edwards Junior, but also too as well. I mean, you lost Malite Collins, a guy that was huge for you last year, you lost Sheldon Rankins. Didn't really do much to address it in the draft, which I thought was kind of interesting from Nick Cassario and his crew. I mean, I definitely thought that, you know, maybe they would have gone that
route but ended up not. But you know you're gonna have Kurt Heinish elevated for this game as well, so I mean he's somebody else that can roll for you in this game. So I mean, if you're able to continue the good play that you've had so far this season, you know Minnesota was able to make it tough on you in that game. I mean, nothing went right that day, as you know talked about earlier with Martin and Angleton, that just across the board was not a good day.
It was more about what they did and you didn't do. But what you did do is you made it hard on yourself with penalties as well. So that's something else that this team hopefully has buried in the past, and having a guy like Autry out there can hopefully help them get to that point of being able to play a clean enough game to be able to come out
of here with a win tomorrow. If the Texans do win this game, which again, even though I've given you the reasons why they could talked about it last night, if you were listening to us on the nightcap that I mean, it just for me, seems like with these injuries it might be too much to overcome. For the Texans tomorrow, I mean, this is a Green Bay team that badly needs a win.
And and not say that you don't.
I mean, every single week in the NFL, you're going out there with the express purpose of tried to win the game. But two, at the same time, I mean, this is a Green Bay team that is trying to not fall further behind in the NFC race.
And I mean this is a NFC you.
Know, North Division that is probably going to have at least as currently constructed right now, three teams make the postseason, and that is something that they're on the outside looking in at right now. And you know, that's a huge part of this game that they're going to be, you know, trying to you know, take control of the game and win this game because i mean, again at four and two, they're in last place at the moment, so that's a
huge part of it tomorrow. But also two, I mean, when you're facing a team that is so good in their pre snap motion running the football play action game, I mean, first and foremost, for the Texans tomorrow, it's going to have to be you have to limit Josh Jacobs as much as possible.
If you're not.
If he's able to get five six yards a carry or close to it, then you're really setting yourself up for a tough day against that packer, you know, receiving corps that does have a lot of really good options. I mean, it's not necessarily a team that has a true number one. They seemingly have three or four guys that they feel very comfortable with making plays downfield. So that's going to be another part of it as well.
And without having you know, a z z Aushai here and being beaten up there at the linebacker spot, being beaten up up front on the defensive line, I just think that it could be a tough ask for those guys. But again, you just need it for one game and you hopefully start to get some guys back next week and the week's going forward where this team can hopefully continue to play good football and continue winning as well.
So we'll see how it all breaks out tomorrow. But having Denico Autry back definitely a huge plus for the Texans, and we'll see how much heat factors in the game tomorrow. All right, coming up next, we will get into a little bit of college football. Texas hosting Georgia in Austin. The game day crew, by the way, they feel a certain way about this game. How does this game all play out tonight? We will get into that so you
can weigh in on that if you want to. I know a lot of you probably on your way to Austin or either there in Austin, or who knows, maybe you're like me, gonna be watching it in Section HD tonight. All of the above that you are all welcome. If you want to weigh in, do so seven one three two one two five seven ninety. Once again that SEB one three two on two five seven ninety. We'll do that on the other side. Right here on Sports Talk seven ninety.
It's Space City Saturday one, Sports Talk seven ninety.
Sports Talk seven ninety, Dan Matthews.
Here with you until noon again, programming notes for you if you want to catch the games all afternoon here the U of H in Kansas game, which I believe coverage is gonna get going at about one thirty over on KPRC nine fifty five o'clock. Right here on Sports Talk seven ninety, you're gonna get to LSU and Arkansas coverage get going for that one so I know that Tiger fans out there fired up for this one today
as well as the Texas and Georgia game. Gonna be five thirty is when Craig Way and the crew and the Longhorn Sports Network get things going at five thirty over on News Radio seven forty KTRH. So that's going to be where you can find everything you want to weigh in on the I mean, you know, even Texans conversation. If you want to get into the that too as well.
We can continue that here on this side. But I do want to get into this Texas Georgia game, which, by the way, coming up here in about ten minutes, we're gonna hear from the voice of the Longhorns.
Just mentioned his name, but I'll mention it again.
Craig Way joining next up with Stan Northfleet Chris Gordy earlier this week to preview this matchup, So we'll hear from Craig as he'll get us going for this one.
But this is a game for Texas.
That kind of like I was talking about with the Texans in the page, or Texas and the Patriots, Texans and the Packers tomorrow that Green Bay badly in need of will win. This is a Georgia team that comes in incredibly hungry for a win, especially after the way that their trip to Tuscaloosa went a couple of weeks ago.
I mean, you know them like LSU now, like Ohio State, many teams all throughout college football where I think we can agree that with the expanded playoff to twelve teams, that you know, losing more than one game is not fatal to your chances. As a matter of fact, we're probably gonna see two three with at least two losses, maybe even more getting their way into the playoff this season, because I mean, you've got more expanded spots for that to happen, and you find your way in there, and
we'll see what happens with Army and Navy. I mean, it looks like we could possibly be talking about. You know, that's the other thing as well. I mean, obviously, if you follow the college football season, you know how it goes. Thanksgiving weekend obviously is the final weekend of the regular season.
Then the following weekend you get championship games, SEC, Big twelve, ACC, Big Ten, everybody like that, you know, playing in their respective championship games that same weekend the American Conference, which both Army and Navy are in, they could both possibly be undefeated playing for that, and whoever wins that one obviously would get themselves in position to make the college football playoff because then the following day you would have the playoff selection.
Then the next week would be the Army Navy game in earnest.
So aren't we all for interesting is playing out in college football? Some people will call it chaos, whatever you might be, But in this case right here, I mean, it's a game that you know, I think we all watch just because of what it represents and who the players on the field represent, but also too, I mean it's one that's always exciting, and it's a respectful rivalry and one that we love to be able to peek
in on. So anyway, the Texas Georgia game today, as we were talking about earlier on in the show, College Game Day there in Austin, And if you're a Longhorn fan,
you got to feel good with what the crew. Herbie refrained from picking in this one because of course he's calling the game tonight with Chris Vaalor so it's kind of a faux pas to pick as you're on the call, because then of course you make a pick, then you know the audience out there if they feel slighted and you're speaking, you know, positively about the team that you picked, and you know they start saying, oh, you know you're rooting for the that team in the booth. All those
different types of things. The Herbie's are pro. I mean, he doesn't do any of those things. But two at the same time, you know, you just you just want to be able to just have a you know, unabated call of the game and not have any distractions of the sort going into a calling said games.
So that's why he stays out of it.
But to a man, you had Pat McAfee, Nick Saban, Desmond Howard, and Lee Corso all picking Texas for this one tonight, which the line at one point had gotten up to five and a half Texas.
Now it's down the four and a half.
So maybe you're starting to see some sharp money coming in on the dogs. We'll see if maybe that even creeps down to you know, probably I would probably guess it's not going to go any lower than four for this game. But if you get enough money in, maybe it goes back to the original three and a half for Texas in this one.
But it's gonna be a fun one, no doubt about it.
And as you're watching the game tonight, you're probably gonna be looking down on the sideline, you're going to be seeing a guy wearing his normal get up that he's got, you know, the the long sleeve, white shirt, sleeves rolled up. He's got his own cowboy hat on. Of course, you know I'm talking about the top Longhorn himself. Matthew McConaughey and the famous Texas X taken to social media earlier this week to share his thoughts on tonight's game.
In October the twenty four, he got a little team called Georgia bile doll such him in there over days US and warms up stadium. That's a night game. Oo fasted the fact everyone's gonna as copyment you Precats season, did Edison correct? I mean best the teams we got there and handled that. He continuous play against how nearly we can be. That's too add ETHNI can play while playing them and given them fullish facts, taking no time for long. There's no time for exhale.
Yeah, obviously that one is to be hyped up. We will be way up to this game. Just got to play.
As Coach Parkes, you say, play smart intelligion and then.
Shout said, there you go. Matthew McConaughey doing it. The only way he knows how is to just put it in his own words. And I mean, you know the philosophy, the philosophies that are out of Matthew McConaughey, well, you know, whenever he speaks, I guess, so we definitely want to be able to keep an ear out and listen for whenever he speaks. But in this case, I mean, for you know, Texas and I I mean, I've told you the Georgia side of it and how badly they need
this one tonight. But for Texas, I mean, I think that it's kind of another step in the direction of getting this program back to where it was when Mac Brown had it rolling from two thousand and four to two thousand and nine. I mean, this was probably the you know, best, most consistent, you know, performing program.
During that time.
I mean, you know, you had a season or two where it didn't end necessarily the way they had hoped. Losses to Oklahoma ten and three seasons but still at least ten wins during those times and being able to make it to BCS Bowl games, if not the BCS National Championship twice during that period.
I mean, two thousand and four, get to the Rose Bowl, you win it.
That sets up the momentum for you to be able to carry over into the next season where you add Jamal Charles and of course you go back to the Rose Bowl and win the National Championship that season. Two thousand and nine, you go undefeed it through the regular season, get to the BCS Championship game and an SEC team was right there waiting for you and the Alabama Crimson Tide,
and they took care of you in that game. But I think that what we've seen the transformation of this program under Steve Sarkisian is something that you know, for the longest time, Texas had been trying to do a little bit kind of like what I've talked about before, that they do a lot they're in college station, and I think, you know, it's a you know, rare time where both programs seemingly have gotten it right with not necessarily the sexiest option at coach that they could have had.
I mean, for the longest time that had been kind of A and m's calling card of you know, we're A and M. This job is is not for a coordinator. It's not for a guy that coached at Duke. Come on, we were a program that needs to go and steal a coach from someone. I mean, we're good enough, we can go and steal Dennis Francioni and he was so so then they had to settle a little bit and ad Mike Sherman. But Sherman was probably one of their better performing head coaches in terms of being able to
prepare guys for the next level. I mean Von Miller coming through the program at that time. You know Ryan Tannehill also coming through the program at that time. I believe it was Sherman that were recruited Mike Evans. I'm trying to remember if if Evans was already there when someone got there. But of course, I mean we saw what Kevin someone was able to do during that time with Johnny Manziel. But then post Johnny Manziel, you started
to see signific regressions. So you go out and get Jimbo Fisher and you're thinking to yourself, oh, man, look what he did at Florida State. Of course he's going to bring that over here. It just never clicked. And now you had a guy who I think, you know, all across the board gets what the job is in
Mike Elko. I mean, one of the first things he did when he got the job was he went to the Texas high school football coaches breakfast that they have every year after the season and kind of let him know, like, hey, you've got a friend in college station. And I know that Steve Sarkisian does the same things as well. But where I'm going with this is sometimes, you know, having the you know, hot named head coach out there a
lot of times does not meet the expectations. It's about making the right hire for a guy that can be able to implement a culture, and that is something that Sarkisian has been able to do. I mean, he brought over a lot of what he learned from Nick Saban
there at Alabama. He learned obviously a ton from Pete Carroll during his time when he was at USC and he got another chance of being a head coach again and he was I think kind of taking some of those lessons and some of the hard lessons that he learned during his failures, you know, when he was at SC that got him out of a job and trying
to make good on it this time. But I think one of the best things he did was number one, hired an outstanding staff, but number two of really implementing a culture of you've got to earn it here, and that's something that I think in Austin had not been there for a really long time. I think that you continuously heard, oh, we're going to win because we're Texas.
Why are you going to win because you're Texas?
Nobody thinks that, And the results on the field showed, and I think that that was kind of a little bit of a brick wall that he had to, little by little try to chisel away at of letting these guys know you're not just going to win because you show up in your Texas. We have to be a physically stronger program. We have to be a lot more athletic than we are right now. And also too, you have to be able to try to put all of those together on game day and have good discipline performances
to be able to win on game day. And this is I think, you know, one of those things as well as a program that even if you lose tonight, there's still a lesson to be gleaned from that because it's you have one loss, your season is not over. You've got a really good path to be able to try to still get to Atlanta for the SEC Championship game and be able to be in prime position to
make the College Football Playoff. But if you win this game tonight, that again is I think the final straw, well not the final I think it's the you know one, It's the second to last straw for this team to be able to truly let you know, yeah, this program is back. This program is in position to compete for national titles year in and year out. I think the next one is being able to get there and win the national title, and Texas is definitely in position to be able to do that. So this is a huge
step for the Longhorns tonight. I don't think there's any doubt about that. I mean, this is a program. You've heard people talking about them all week. They are physical,
they are tough. They are a team that has a deep enough roster to be able to beat teams like Georgia, who has won a couple of national titles in the recent years under Kirby Smart and a program that has been able to build up a recruiting juggernaut and also to a team that you know gets the benefit of the doubt in games like this, but at least this weekend, I mean, I think you know, just the way that you're looking at it from the betting odds and also
too from you know, just the experts out there. I mean, talked about it on game day, everybody thinking that Texas and the atmosphere tonight's going to be too much for Georgia. But we will see it's going to be a lot of fun to be able to watch as a man who is going to be on the call of said game is somebody that joined us earlier this week on Next Up with stand Northfleet and Chris Gordy craig Way joining the guys earlier this week. Want to let you hear that visit as he was able to catch up
with them. So we'll do that on the other side right here on Space City Saturday.
Dan Matthews here with you for about.
Another thirty minutes on your home of the Astros and the Rockets and Longhorns at Football and Basketball as well as LSU here in Houston Sports Talk seven to ninety.
Space City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety. I like it, Milton Brown, I like it.
Melvin Brown always keeping us on air at our uptown Galeria studios. As like I said, huge college football weekend that is already underway. The eleven o'clock games going right now, also too, got a good two thirty one's coming up a little bit later today. By the way, Dan Matthews here, Space City Saturday, home of the Astros and the Rockets Sports Talk seven ninety as you'll get the third Saturday in October as it is called.
That's a thing too as well.
For Texas fans that are new to the SEC, you have to note that almost every single rivalry game is not just called the whoever against whoever game. It's always some sort of game. The third Saturday in October clean old fashioned hate, although that one's SEC and ACC.
Paul Meadow Bowl Bowl. What's it?
I mean, unofficially it's the world's largest outdoor cocktail party. But of course, you know, my god, we can't bring drinking to college football games, and we've got underage kids here. There's no way we could ever do that, So of course that goes out the window.
I mean, you've already understood it a little bit.
I guess you were prepared for it with Red River coming into the SEC. But anyway, the Alabama and Tennessee game always called the third Saturday in October, so oddly enough third Saturday in October here we are, so that one coming up at two thirty falls against Alabama, so we'll be watching that.
Then.
Of course tonight the one that most of us, if not all of us around here are going to be paying attention to, that's number one against number five. Number one being Texas, number five being Georgia. And you will hear it over on news radio seven forty KTRH. And the man who's gonna be on the call for that.
Game is Craig Way.
He joined at stan Northfleet Chris Gordy earlier this week on next up, let's hear that visit right now.
I'm stupid excited. I got to do some volunteer work over at Acres Homes courtesy of the good people at Tomac. I'll be up there a Greater Commission Church doing some
volunteer work open to the public. Texans Astros rockets coming out, So if you want to pull up on me, I'll be over there, but I'm going to be leaving man site to get home in time to cut on the screen as the number one team in the land in Austin, where Burnt Orange and White will welcome in that black and red crew from down in Athens to help us pass through how this action might go. Voice of the Horns, courtesy of our sister station thirteen hundred to Zone in Austin.
Good morning, Craig Wade, welcome back in the next up, my.
Friend, Hey, Dan, Gordy Grace, visit with you guys again.
All right, So I was a little bit peeved that we couldn't get you own last week because I thought it's bleeping Texas and OU in Dallas and they're both in the s SEC and it's the State Fair and it's a big deal. But you made me feel good. You say, stay, come down. The dogs are coming to Athens, Coming to Athens, Lord, the Dogs coming to Austin next Saturday. I got you, okay, rig Uh point spread has gone up in favor of the Horns. Tell me why.
I have no ideas? And by the way, I did mention to you last week when we were going to I said, there's the chance that Texas O you could wind up being nearly the undercard, and it's kind of turned out that way. And I would never think of the Texas ou Red River Rivalry gate as an undercard anything. It has its own special style and significance, obviously, but clearly coming off of that now it's the number five team in the country, a perennial national power in Georgia.
And then of all weekends for this to be happening, when you got the Formula one race going on as well on Sunday, so it's F one mania also, So it's it's crazy right here to your question, I think you know, I'm I'm not the best authority on this, but I've always been told that the boys in the desert are setting those numbers to try to make sure they get equal action on both sides of the line.
And maybe the original Texas line seemed a little bit elevated for the wagerers, so they come back and put put their wagers on the.
Other side line.
Maybe, you know, maybe that's the reason, I don't know, or it was a little lower, and then you know that sort of thing so not sure about that, but I do know this, these are two really good football teams to getting ready to get it on.
It's interesting Craig talking with people about this game this week. I've asked people and look, Texas can only play who's on their schedule. Schedules made, it's pre ordained. You can't do anything about it. But most people I say what's Texas's best win, they say Michigan, And then I look at the numbers and say, I see Michigan. Now their offense is ranked one nineteenth in the country, and obviously Oklahoma's offense is putrid, and you know some of these
other teams. I started to look at it and go, is you all Munroe their best win? They're five and one. It's just an interesting angle of I think, hands down, this will be the best offense and best quarterback they've seen to this point this season.
Though, without question. And I think it'll be the best defense. Now, you know, Michigan had pretty solid defense and Oklahoma has a pretty good defense as well, but I think it'll be the best defense, but easily the best offense they will have seen. With ETN in the backfield, and in addition to Trevor etn Carson Beck will easily be the best quarterback they will have faced. And there's that championship
aura that surrounds Georgia and they know. And to listen to Kirby Smart this week here and him say we just haven't put a full game together yet. And to think about that, I mean, it was the second half of that game against Alabama when they spotted in the big lead and came back and actually had the lead and a chance to win late. This is still a really good Georgia team that they're going to face. It's definitely the best team they will have seen to this point.
That's the voice of Craig Way play by play voice for the Horns. You can catch them on social at Horn singular Horn voice again. Our family there in Austin thirteen hundred is Zion all right? Quinn Ewiz doesn't get wally pipped. He goes back into the starter, puts up a ton of bleeping points. Any concern there from the faithful that maybe they got distracted emotional win over ou or I can't imagine Sarkas gonna have these boys not
emotionally ready to go when Georgia comes to town. But do you get concerned when you have back to back weeks and you're gonna need all your own emotion? What does Dabbo say, bring your own guts those type of games.
Yeah, I think it was it's more about the physical and mental grind that ensues playing these kinds of games back to backstand and less about you know, not being fought for a team or anything like that. I can't get up for playing Georgia. Can You can't get up and think about Oklahoma?
Yeah?
Yeah, And folks did the same thing going in the know you game, well, you know they're only ranked eighteenth. You know that doesn't matter. None of that stuff matters, And it didn't matter last Saturday, and I don't think it'll matter this Saturday. But we did say before the start of the year, this was going to be the belly of the beast, This was going to be the grind getting through this. And at the time, at the time stand, we were talking about two games, Texas OU
and Texas Georgia. Oh, by the way, what's next? Venderbill on the road Alabama and Nashville, so that the grind will continue, and then they would have an open day to buy week so they can find a way to get through these next two weeks, then I'm not going to necessarily say it's a down. He'll run to Atlanta and the SEC Championship, but they will have been passed the most difficult part of their schedule.
Let's suck a little personnel here. Craig obviously, Kelvin Banks, he's been fantastic. He's named SDC Offensive Lineman of the Week there. But they do lose Derek Williams of safety for the season, and he was really good at a pick against Michigan, had to force fumble this past week against Oklahoma. But it also sounds like Isaiah Bond he was banged up. It sounds like he's gonna go, is what it sounds like to you.
He's been better and he's he's he's been getting a little bit better as the week's gone on. Uh, Tuesday and yesterday where the big you know, load in heavy days in terms of the work, and he's been able to work. I think they're still going to just kind of watch him very carefully through the practice today and the walk through tomorrow to see if he's ready to go. But I would expect that he'll be ready to play.
Craig rough Start, what he got sacked? It wasn't that what first drive? Maybe I think the first play and then he throws the pick on his first pass. Rough Start think he worked out the kinks, uhs in these big boy games. Is there any concern physically or his resume and being ready to take advantage you know what Kurvey's gonna do defensively with his dogs.
Well, I think his resume shows he's pretty good in these big games at Alabama last year and and uh obviously in the big CULP championship game. It's a big game, and and I think Quinn Ewers is going to be fine on those kinds of things. It was a little bit sluggish last week, and Quinn, by his own admission, said he didn't play his best. They had a misprotection of one play and then they had a couple of receivers have a difficult time getting off the line initially,
so they were timing. I think was a little bit of an issue that not remedy, I believe after the first quarter. And yes, an offensive line played well enough after that, so I think he's back in the rhythm and a group. But I do think he needed that game, and he needed that first quarter to try to get back on track.
I've been so oppressed with Anthony Hill. He's been fantastic for them so far. Defensively, I think back to he was he was like a fifty to fifty yard cruit between A and M and Texas, and he chose the long horns. Colin Simmons was between Texas and LSU. He chose the long horns, and just so many of those guys in that defense, Craig are starting to merge us big time playmakers. But what do you see from Anthony Hill. I know he made the Lot Trophy you know watch list this week.
Yeah, the progress that he made really from his freshman year to a sophomore year has been most impressive. He would tell you that last year he was kind of a seaball get ball, you know, just go after something, and it wasn't as much technique sounds as he needed to be over time, But that was going to come with time and working under Peacock Kowski's defense. Colin Simmons I had a chance to call both of his state championship games for television last two years, and I remember thinking,
what a beast this guy is. If his game can translate and transition out quickly to the collegiate level. How special might he be? And we're starting to see signs of that with what he's doing. He's still learning the game, but getting off the line of scrimmage and harassing quarterbacks has been really impressive to watch.
II.
Greg, last one, what do you think happens here? I don't know if you're able to give a prediction, but certainly talk us through this one and what you think we can expect the hot this win ends well.
Sark is fond of saying the key is the ball When we do our pregame interview two hours before kickoff. He likes to say the bo meaning getting turnovers and preventing turnovers. Georgia is a minus one in the turnover category, mainly because they don't get and create and haven't been
anyway creating a lot of turnovers. If that trend continues and the log Worns can get Carson back to throway sixth interception of the season or seventh something like that, continue to slam down the running gag George's thirteenth in the SEC and rushing events. I know you wouldn't think about that, but if they can. If they can limit them on that make them one dimensional like they did Oklahoma last week, then it makes a big difference.
Hey, one last one real quick, Craig, do you want to rent out your home for Airbnb this weekend? I hear it's pretty hard to get a hotel room this weekend at Austin.
You know, I probably should have given it more thought. And here's why you got the game Saturday night. I mean, I go up the Dallas to the high school show Friday, so I wouldn't going to be here anyway. I just had to relocate my wife, you know, And then you got the football game. Sunday morning. Linda and I are flying to Los Angeles. We're going to see Joni Mitchell perform at the Hollywood Bowl. Back on the Red Eye.
So I mean, again, the home would have been available if I have been thinking about it, it could have taken care of it. But I wouldn't get that foreign advance.
Not only did he deny me an appearance last week, he did not need the gate the gatecode to his home. Craig wait, voice of a horn, being selfish, being a bit up bitty if you will, No, great dude, does a great job there. We'll all be watching and listening courtesy of thirteen hundred am is own there in Austin. No one does it better played by play Man for the Horns. We appreciate your Craig, have a great call, State Travels. Enjoyed that show.
Thank you, Stan, Guardy. Good to be on with you guys.
All right, take care my guy, Craig Way.
Good to be Craig Way.
I guess, like he said, going to see Joni Mitchell at the Hollywood Bowl that's on the list. Not necessarily the Joni Mitchell Park, but go see a show at the Hollywood Bowl. You know they're red rocks places like that. But good point brought up there by Stan and Gordy.
I mean, if you or any of your friends had a property in the Austin area this weekend, you probably would have been pretty smart to say, yeah, hey, you can airbnb it, you can do whatever in terms of being able to rent it, just to make sure you return it in the condition that you found it when you went in there to stay.
So it's gonna be a great atmosphere there.
I mean, of course, you got the game tonight, got the F one race tomorrow, going on. So definitely a clashing of crowds for sure in Austin this weekend, so a lot of fun. I know, a lot of people are there, and you have a lot of friends who came in from Georgia for this game. But also too as well a lot of friends from down here making their way up to Austin. So gonna be fun, no doubt about.
It all right.
Coming up next, close it out on the show, an interesting event happened on sports radio this week here in this state. I think you know what I'm talking about, so too kind of breaking it down of what led up to it and also to what comes of it afterwards, as we'll discuss that on the other side. Right here on your home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk seven ninety.
We now return to Face City Saturday on Sports Talk seven ninety Sports Talk.
Seven ninety, Space City Saturday.
More seconds to go with you here this afternoon Again a little bit later on right here on Sports Talk seven ninety, you're gonna be able to hear the call of LSU and Arkansas starting at five thirty. The man who you just heard from in the last segment with stand Northfleet, Chris Gordy on. Next up, Craig wa gonna be on the Call of Texas and Georgia. That's gonna
be over on News Radio seven forty KTRH tonight. So if you're looking for either of those games, making your way back home, making your way to wherever you're going to catch the game, those are where you can listen. So that is a little program reminder. Were you all here, if you want to weigh in on anything we've talked about to this point, we've gotten it's been a football heavy show today. Didn't even have a chance to get
into the rockets. As a matter of fact, too, I mean I told Melvin Brown as we were setting up the audio for this final segment of the show today, we're gonna be talking, of course about the Jerry Jones radio interview. I'm sure that's been listened to over and over again by many of you out there today, but also didn't have a chance to get into the Dusty
Baker audio that we had. So if you were listening to any of our shows this week, I'm sure you probably heard his visit with Joel Sherman and John Hayman about his time with the Astros and any regrets that he had or anything of this such, But anyway, for this one right now, like I talked about at the beginning of the show, Jerry Jones on with the Cowboys flagship station there in DFW one five to three, the Fan, Shawn and RJ in the morning, Sean Cherief and r
J Choppy, who, by the way, if you remember RJ actually joining this very show last year, has had him on as a preview to the Alcs before the Astros and Rangers got tangled up last year, and so he's a friend of the show we can call him. But he was part of this interview the other day, and of course it was a weekly hit that they do with Jerry Jones that you know listening to. RJ talked about it afterwards, saying, they've never really had a contentious
relationship with Jerry whatsoever. I mean, they only you know, had one time. It was the Colin Kaepernick kneeling when he was doing that for the national anthem that the team had asked him like, hey, you know, I think we've kind of hammered on that enough. Let's move on, let's talk football. But aside from that, he said that they've never really had parameters of what they can or cannot talk about on the show. That Jerry is pretty open and transparent with them, and this was really on
the surface. I feel, as you're not going to hear Sean's question to him, but a pretty innocuous question, because, I mean, let's talk about it, you know, from the Cowboy fan perspective, I mean, I know that you had Jerry Jones and Mike McCarthy telling everybody, hey, we're all in for this season, and they did not go out and get Derrick Henry. They did not really add in
free agency. I mean, I know that they had some cap constraints and also too, I mean, we're on the verge of signing both Ceedee Lamb and also Dak Prescott to contract extensions. But you know, it was kind of one of those things that I'm sure the media and fan base alike talking about the Cowboys were like, well, wait a minute, does that necessarily say.
That you're all in when you're not adding to.
This roster that clearly is not good enough to be able to get out of the divisional round. So that was the question I was asked to Jerry Jones, and let's just say it fired up the team's owner and GM.
Yeah, a few think I'm interested in a phone call with you over radio and sitting here and throwing all the good ap with the dishwater. You have got to be smoking something over there this morning. I'm not, and I really don't, and I don't need want our listeners to listen to me to talk about this is not your job. Your job is to let me go over all the reasons that I did something and I'm sorry that I did it. That's not your job. I'll get somebody else to ask these questions.
Man, Jerry, We're just we're trying to figure out why the team out.
I'm not kidding it. I'm not kidding it. You're not going to figure out what the team is doing right or wrong. If you are are any five or ten like you, you need to come to this meeting I'm going to today. There are thirty two teams here, your geniuses.
So there you go a little bit of patronizing tone from Jerry Jones at the end. And look, it's a playbook. And you see this a lot in the NFL of people trying to tell the media you don't know what you're talking about. You don't know what the play call is. We're the experts here, not you. And how many times during the draft have we seen teams try to tell us that, you know, when they try to reach for a player in the second round or something like that, and you just ask them about it and then they
give you that defensive, angry tone back to you. But the truth of the matter is, especially when it comes to the draft, most of these teams are guessing just like you are. It's an educated guess at best, it's a hypothesis of how you think that player is going to be. So there's been time and time again proven that people who want to tell us that they're experts,
they're really not. And I think in this case right here, it comes down to, you know, situation of are you know, are you making it personal when it comes to, you know, discussions like this, And I know for a fact of listening to that interview, Sean and RJ were not.
We never make it personal.
But whenever you know, Sean Salisbury has Dana Brown on, he'll ask him pointed questions, but it's not personal. And same deal whenever Matt Thomas has Joe a spot on, it's it's the same deal. There So the moral of the story is, when you have relationships like this, you can have your takes, you can have whatever opinions you want to have of the teams. Just when you make
it personal, that's when it oversteps the line. And I think that the wrong party there was Jerry, and people have let him know that, and then some didn't have as much time to talk about this as I wanted to. But that's all good. I want to thank Melvin Brown back in the studio. I want to think all of you who tuned in to us here on this Space City Saturday. Dan Matthews, we'll talk to you next week right here on your home of the Astros and the Rockets, Sports Talk seven to ninety