Seth Payne and Sean Pendergast go over six storylines to focus on with the Houston Texans visiting the New York Jets for a Halloween edition of Thursday Night Football.
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00:00Let's get into this game here the Texans in the Jets
00:03And let's let's get to the keys to the game six-pack style. We we get things started Jordan. Can you?
00:10Can me here, please?
00:13Thank you very much can number one
00:16Pound Joe Mixon again pound him pound him and pound him some more Joe Mixon won the
00:22the Angry Scepter Award
00:24week for his his touchdown against the
00:28That they play the Colts
00:29The angry what's so funny? It's the angry. Yeah, I know the angry run scepter. Yeah, the angry run scepter
00:35Yeah, sorry the angry run scepter award here was the here was Kyle Brandt going insane about Joe Mixon's touchdown
00:41This is going to Houston, Texas
00:43This is going to Joe Mixon who did the full Texas tornado at the goal line and his star wide receiver used to play in Buffalo
00:51Celebrated it before it even happened
00:54Guys it's been a minute
00:56Houston Texans win the scepter Western, New York's gonna be furious. You will have your day Joe Mixon angry runs winner
01:03We will see you next week. Happy Halloween. Boom. Yeah, we we need yeah, we need a lot of that tonight
01:10I think to know no Stefan digs that that clip was sad because you could hear cut
01:16I'll Brant say may celebrating already before Mixon's even in the end zone. I'm like, oh that's Stefan digs. That's so sad
01:24But no digs no Nico tonight. This will be an offense. This will be a Joe Mixon night
01:29I think this will be all they this and really I I wouldn't expect a high
01:35Scoring affair at all. Not just because it's Thursday night football or anything, but you've got you've got two
01:42teams that have
01:43Really good cornerbacks. So between the between the Jets and the Texans. There's four really quality starting cornerbacks and
01:52You know sauce Gardner is not the same guy that he used to be but between there hasn't been playing the same way as when
01:57he was really really humming, but they're still good and
02:02And you've got two passing attacks in the Jets and the Texans that have struggled now
02:07The Jets don't have Stefan digs at least they've struggled according, you know, according to expectations
02:12So I think a lot of this does come down to line play the pass rush and then especially the running backs
02:20themselves and Joe Mixon's
02:22Just he's got that ability to break the game for you
02:26with some big plays, but also
02:28Churn yardage and in Breeze Hall hasn't been quite the same. He's right. He's not he's not
02:34Exactly what he needs to be for what the Jets are right now, dude
02:36Mixon even even mix in like the little play the little swing pass
02:40They threw to him early in the Colts game where they put him out in space and he's one-on-one with I know
02:46He's one-on-one with a linebacker or a corner or whatever
02:49I don't he's one-on-one with a linebacker who he's quicker than or a corner who's making business decisions, but just Joe Mixon's
02:57Ability to make for a guy runs with that much power
02:59Yeah
03:00Is I mean like that was a play like they they throw it to most of the running backs of Texans have had catching passes
03:06The last few years they throw it to him and he runs right into contact whoever it is and gets tackled for a three-yard
03:11gain
03:12Mixing it's a nine-yard gain out of that because he's right because he's so quick in both CJ and
03:18Casario had mentioned that as one of the keys to
03:21To really getting a more efficient and better offense
03:25Well teams are doing all these things to limit their passing attack is you got a you got to trust that Joe Mixon can make
03:32Plays like that. Yeah, so all right all your
03:34The
03:35Checking down to the running back is not the same as oh, we're only gonna get two or three yards
03:40No, you've got a chance for potentially explosive plays by checking down to your running back
03:45Yeah include that you include a gumbo Ali and that on third downs when he's in there
03:50Yeah
03:50so I think CJ has been doing a better job of just kind of making that
03:55less of a less of an ordeal where he's just
03:58automatically now checking down at times or hitting the hot and
04:02That's just key in a game like this tonight, all right number two
04:07You touched on it. I think this is defensively. This is a Will Anderson Daniel Hunter game
04:12Texans pass rush against a decrepit version of Aaron Rodgers
04:16They can't move nearly as well as the Green Bay version of Aaron Rodgers
04:19And this is not a this is not a very good Jets
04:22Offensive line Tyron Smith their left tackle is not what he used to be. Here's Aaron Rodgers yesterday on that
04:30Edge-rushing duo of will hunt the will Anderson and Daniel Hunter. Yeah
04:36But with your pass rushers are not the only ones to get a good push in the middle
04:40They can bring five man pressure six man pressure all-out pressure. So I got a bill
04:45Move a little bit and you know, I'm not the runner
04:49I want my once wasn't and let let our team and rushing a handful of games over the years
04:53I don't want to do that, but I gotta be able to move around obviously week three
04:57And
05:01You can't do that anymore I
05:03Don't want to be the guy to lead our team in rushing. Well, that's good
05:08It's funny because he mentioned week three I that was a Patriots game and
05:13the Patriots the Patriots are really the only time the
05:18Texans have or the the Jets have looked like the offense that you want to look when you remove them from the Patriots game
05:25It's it's a whole different. That was the first time they played him twice already. So that was the first time
05:29They played the Patriots. Yeah, they've owned the Patriots. They've owned the Patriots
05:36Aaron Rodgers has looked like semi-competent versus the Patriots. Yeah. Yeah, except for you know
05:42They didn't they actually looked really incompetent in the second bound round versus the Patriots. But yeah, yeah
05:48So I think this is I think Seth overall
05:52This is a game that the Texans are gonna win on defense and if they're gonna win it on defense
05:55They're gonna win it up front to your point
05:56There's a game that'll be won in the trenches and I think it's a deal Daniel Hunter Willie Anderson game number three
06:02Kicking game Texans have a big advantage in the kicking game here. Kiami Fairbairn's been the best kicker in football all season long
06:09He's been reliable from 59 yards in in big situations clutch situations
06:16The
06:17Jesper graser line on IR, which is bad news for the Texans because he is stunk this year
06:22He's been awful and I don't know who they're starting kickers gonna be they tried out about six of them earlier this week
06:27They signed two of them to the practice squad
06:30Including Spencer Schrader who was the Notre Dame kicker last year who's got a big leg, but not a very accurate leg
06:37so I know a little something about him, but the Texans if this game comes down to
06:42Kicking game the Texans should have an advantage here. Yeah, that's yeah
06:47we've talked about if man if you swap Kiami Fairbairn and
06:52Zerline the kicker for the Jets who knows these two might both be 500 teams right now agreed. So
06:58That's that's they've been tight margins with the Texans and the Jets have had some tight margin games, too
07:04I think the biggest thing is that you look at everything that's wrong with the Jets right now
07:10It's not a lack of talent that's keeping them back. It's a lack of really clicking offensively
07:17It's the the Jets defense which had I'd say in two of the last three games
07:22Just hasn't been playing as well as when Robert Sala was the offensive coordinator
07:26But they did look better last week. The Jets defense looked better last week
07:31I had I don't think it's gonna be hard for the Texans to respect this opponent despite what their
07:38Despite what the record is because you can point at all sorts of film of players who are playing
07:43Well guys who have played great in the past and a lot of it boils down to Aaron Rodgers not being the same guy used
07:49To be but there's there's nothing to preclude it from all of a sudden clicking in the middle of the season
07:54You can show them film
07:57You can show eyes a little playing really well against you in week 14 last right, you know, like yeah
08:03It's been less than a year
08:05So that's number three number four the coaching I'll put air quotes around chess match
08:10I don't know what this Jets staff would look like if you stuck him in front of the chess board
08:14There'd be like is this where you King me?
08:16Is this where you put two checker chips on top the Texans have I think a big advantage in the coaching game here?
08:22Between these two teams D'Amico Ryan's excellent head coach Bobby slow. It could be leaguered offensive coordinator. I get it, but I still
08:30Like I my trust factor with Bobby Slowick is is not negative
08:34It's probably even right now. And as you pointed out Seth no Robert Sala
08:38So the defense the the Jets essentially while firing their head coach also threw the baby out with the bathwater
08:45They fired their defensive coordinator as well because he's the same guy
08:50So this is not as good a defense or
08:53Ulbricht is is still very much feeling his way as a head coach and
08:59Their offensive coordinator situation has been in flux as well. They fired Nathaniel Hackett a couple weeks ago Todd Downing's their OC now
09:06This should be a game where the Texans have an advantage with the the coach on coach matchup here
09:12And my big request to Bobby Slowick is let's get a touchdown in the second half of a football game. Let's do that
09:18Can we do that? Yeah, can you well and again, it's even against much that defense is good defense
09:24It doesn't matter the Texans offense is really struggled to move the ball and to score in the second half
09:29Yes, and and you look at this Jets defense. They are the Texans are number one in opponent completion
09:36And percentage 50% gotta be by a mile. I would imagine. Well, the Jets are number two
09:42Yeah with about 60% completion percentage
09:45So the defensive backs despite sauce gardeners missed tackles everything else
09:49They're 11th in total passer rating for the opponents
09:53So like they've done some good things in the past defense and they can they can very much just like other
09:59You know mid to lesser defenses have limited the passing defense in the second half
10:04There's just absolutely nothing about this game where the Texans should take this lightly whether Salah or Ulbricht is the defensive coordinator
10:12That's it's they've got very real talent including Quinn and Williams
10:16Obviously, yep number five
10:19Speaking of Quinn and Williams number five key protect CJ Stroud
10:22That'll be that'll be a key until they prove they can actually do it capably because they've done it at a completely
10:29Poverty level the last two games they as bad as the Green Bay game felt and as bad as they were
10:35Protecting that one probably felt worse because they actually lost the football game
10:38They were by by some outlets. They were
10:42significantly worse
10:43Protecting CJ Stroud from pressure in the Colts game than they were in that ratchet Packers game that they played two weeks ago
10:51So they've got a they've got to figure this out. They're starting Kenyon green. That's a concern. It's got to be a concern
10:56There's nobody that can feel good about Kenyon green right now starting for the Texans
11:00I think what you hope for is one of two things Kenyon green
11:05The light goes on or that the Texans have a literally like a one-series rope for Kenyon green like okay
11:11This looks like the first half of the Colts game we can't do not on this turf
11:17We can't I think if Patterson were not concussed. I think Patterson would a hundred percent be starting
11:23I agree the hesitancy to put Kendrick green back in last week was weird
11:29But I think some of it is them them them stuck trying to figure out like okay. We like Kenyon greens upside
11:35We've got to give him some time to develop
11:37So we'll give him one more go and I would say Kenyon green was better after he was reinserted
11:43but some of that was because of some of the play calling and I don't feel like he was
11:50Substantially better just because he didn't let up a sack afterwards or something
11:53He still had some pretty rough snaps and the the other big thing to watch from the pass rush aside from Quinn and Williams
12:00Is that right now Sean?
12:02If you're worried about individual accolades Will McDonald for the Jets is second in the league with sacks with eight
12:08Will Anderson's tied for third with seven and a half sacks. Yeah, McDonald's having a good year, man
12:13He's having a good year. Will Anderson's tied with Aiden Hutchinson
12:16So he he can do no better than remain tied with Aiden Hutchinson or surpass him this. Yeah
12:22Yeah, if we're still saying Will Anderson is tied with Aiden Hutchinson in a few weeks
12:27Yeah, it's Hutchinson's number eight moving
12:30So, yeah, Will's having a good year, yeah McDonald is a he's a good young player man, no doubt. All right last my prediction
12:39Last can and you'll give your prediction later in the show Seth as always. I think it's gonna be a low-scoring game
12:44I think it's gonna be a field goal game. I think Texans 19 Jets 17
12:48I think the Texans are gonna have trouble just getting into the end zone
12:51I think they're gonna I think Kymie Fairbairn is gonna kick a bunch of field goals in this game
12:56And I think they that's tonight I think I think I'm definitely taking the under and
13:02Part of it too is Garrett Wilson's had a hundred yards
13:07Receiving in three of the last four games been kind of under the radar
13:10But at least part of it is that Devante Adams is not producing but he is getting a lot of attention
13:16And they're they're kind of they're playing cloud coverage and keeping him from being able to do too much
13:21So is Aaron Rodgers been able to find Garrett Wilson?
13:24Yeah
13:24and just don't be don't be that version of the Texans that all of a sudden loses guys in coverage and gives an
13:32Opportunity for Devante Adams to break loose or free or Garrett Wilson so they the Jets certainly have that potential
13:38They just haven't been able to figure it out
13:39That'll be a fun matchup the Texans corners against this Jets receiving core for sure for sure