The Killer B's: Joel Blank & Jeremy Branham
10/30 Hour 3 - Texans Following Chiefs Formula For Success
(upbeat music) - Don't sweat the technique. (upbeat music) - You listening to The Killer Beans with Joel Blanket, Jeremy Brannon. - On ESPN 97.5 and 92.5. - Broadcasting live from the Veritex Community Bank Studios. - And Jeremy Fowler is reporting that if the Jets beat the Texans tomorrow, Mike Williams plays a vital role in the victory, the team will likely decide to keep it. If they lose expect a trade to happen. So tomorrow's game decides the fate of Mike Williams. It's kinda like the Hunger Games in a way. - Is this like a lose or leave town match? - And we'll do a bit. - It's the ramp game of a week ago, but this is the final straw of all the straws when it relates to the Jets 'cause this is the last chance 'cause if they do win tomorrow night, I think they're like a half game out of the last wild card spot where they still have a chance. - Kind of sad, they'd be three and six. - Unreal though, because that's how bad and underperforming a lot of the AFC is bad. - That's wild. Join us at Nick's Place tomorrow Halloween. Barry Lambinack in for me, be broadcasting with blankers from three until six and then a Halloween watch party for the Thursday night game with John Granato Hall of Famer. Presented by Cora's Light, make sure you arrive before kickoff, before Hall of Famer, John Granato will be buying Cora's Lights for the people that show up early to get out there to Nick's Place. You know how doctors, once they get there, once they're MD, I think it's they're MD. I have no idea, it's gotta be MD 'cause it's WebMD. It's gotta be MD. So, you know how they make 'em call you doctor, like you can't call a doctor like a mister you can't just be like, hey, you know, Robert, no, you call 'em there, doc, you say doctor, call 'em doctor. Once you're in the Hall of Famer, do you have to call 'em a Hall of Famer? Like every time we bring up Granato's name, we have to be like Hall of Famer, John Granato, Hall of Famer. - I think that's the same thing. - I think we have to. - I think that they now, I think that when John Granato signs his multitude of autographs from now on, he does have to put HOF 24. - Yeah, I'm gonna call, I'm just gonna call him a Hall of Famer, John Granato every time. I'm gonna use that like I'm using doctor. - 'Cause you know, Murph and Hall of Famer's, they have a tendency to sign HOF in the year they got in. - Yeah, they also get paid for their autographs. - A lot of 'em do. - Which I usually have to pay people to pretend to want my autographs, so it's a little bit different. I think the Kansas City Chiefs are following, I'm sorry, I think the Houston Texans are following the Kansas City Chief Model. What do you mean? How are the Houston Texans following the Kansas City Chief Model? All right, let's take a look at some things. Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs weren't great offensively. They're good, they weren't great. They were ninth in offense despite having my homes, and despite having Kelsey. If you know Rashi Rice last year who was healthy as a rookie, they were ninth in offense. Not bad, I mean it's top third of the league, ninth's not bad, it's in the top 10, but it was their defense that really carried them. They were second in defense last year when you look at total yards. Do you know where the Houston Texans rank offensively right now in the NFL in total yards? Ninth. Do you know where they rank defensively in total yards? Second. But why, okay, well, who cares about the stats? Who cares about the numbers? Let's look at personnel. Let's look how a team is built. Well, the Houston Texans, people might not be willing to admit this, are a more defensive minded team than they are an offensive minded team. I think their defense is better than their offense. It certainly produced better than their offense, and they have a defensive minded head coach, which is a difference with Kansas City. But you look at Kansas City last year, their defense was ahead of their offense really for the entire year. Did they heat up a bit in the playoffs? Yes, but you do that whenever you have some good personnel. But how about their style? Okay. Well, if you look at how Kansas City plays games offensively, they run the ball more than people think. So they're built with defense, they're built on a good running game, and then when you need a play, you put it in the hands of your quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, and Patrick Mahomes goes and makes a play. How are the Houston Texans winning games right now? They're winning games with their defense. Their offense, yeah, it's not bad. It's ninth in the NFL and yards per game. But how many third downs have they been in? How bad is their offensive line bid? Whereas, hey, CJ, shout, go bell us out, go make a play. So like Kansas City, who's built behind defense, good running game and a superstar quarterback that's going to go make a play when you absolutely need it, that's kind of what the Houston Texans are. A defense that's good, a good running game, putting your quarterback in a tough spot and saying, hey, CJ, go bell us out. I totally see it. I mean, when you look at the fact that as much as we thought going into the season that this was going to be a past happy team and we were talking about the fact that if mixins out for any substantial length of time and they don't have any backups worth anything, that they could still get away with it because of the talent in their receiver room and because of the way that they could use the passing game to actually replace the running game with short passes and things like that. But as we've seen this season unfold, we know damn well, Joe Mixon is a powerhouse that is the driving force behind a ton of what they're able to do, specifically because the offensive line, as bad as they are pass blocking, has somehow done good enough to open up holes for the running game and Joe Mixon to succeed. So I think that as much as we've heard in the past too, that Bobby Slope and Dameko are on that train of saying we want to be a strong running team, whether they came out and completely said we want to be a running team first or not, they let you know that they aren't going to abandon the run, that they want to emphasize the run. And we've talked all season long about the fact that the defense has spent a half step to a step above the offense in terms of the overall performances throughout this point in the season. That's not wrong and that's not bad. And because you invested so much with the trades that you made and the money that you spent and the draft picks that you've used to upgrade the defense, because of the fact that Bullock has been better than we could have thought at the start of the year and we were concerned about that other corner position, that they even upgraded even more in an area that we weren't sure about, the D line and interior D line has been way better than we thought. We were getting as advertised on the edge and the defense has been extremely strong. So I think the spot on. - 4-7-4-1, stop it, all capital letters, 2-5-8-5. I've been thinking about this for a few weeks now. Look at all the close games, Kansas City's winning and the Texans are also winning close games and letting their defense carry them. I think the chiefs of like every single one of their wins is a one possession game where they have like five real possession wins. Ocho Branham, the Texans don't have Chris Jones in the middle of their defensive line. That's a huge difference. Chris Jones is a different kind of animal, but let's not sleep on the Houston Texans defensive line. Like they're right up there with pressures. Will maybe Anderson has dropped the maybe middle name and he's getting it done. He's amongst the leaders in sacks. Daniel Hunter is making a presence. So like even like Tim Settle has been surprisingly really good. Foley's been solid. So yeah, they don't have Chris Jones specifically, but I actually think the Texans defensive line's one of their major strengths. Look at the production that you got out of it. As I mentioned, the interior defensive line that we weren't expecting. Look at guys stepping up like Mario Edwards, where at the start of camp, we had heard great things. We heard so many great things like, yeah, but regular season comes around. He's not going to be that guy. You miss him when he's not there because he was impactful. And Foley has been really, really good. So you don't have a Chris Jones, but you know what you got? You got two edge rushers that can really get home and can really put a ton of pressure on a opposing offense. And then because you got stingly and lasseter and you see what you're getting on a Bullock that I don't think anybody was counting on for year one with the concerns we had about Jimmy Ward. And Aziz El-Shahir has been way better than anything you've had previously and the quarterback of the defense to where you don't have that one guy, but you've got a couple of guys and almost every guy that's basically playing way above what they've done or way above expectation. - Thank you for calling him Bullock, by the way. I'm sure Kaylin and his family appreciate that 'cause that is the correct way to pronounce it. Texans just don't care. They're putting no respect on his name. 6181 to counter Kansas City's problems where their receivers couldn't catch the ball while the Texans problems or CJ Stroud doesn't have time to read the field. That's true. Like they're, why are there offensive efficiencies on Kansas City last year, 9th and the League in total yards, Houston this year, 9th and the League in total yards as of right now, like what is holding them back? Kansas City last year is because I believe they let the League in drop passes a year ago. - That's right. - I guess the Houston Texans offensive line is poor. Which of those is the lesser of two evils? I would probably go with the receivers and dropping the ball as the lesser of two evils. I think the offensive line is a bigger problem than receivers with the case of the drop season. - I mean, obviously we know what Pep Mahomes is but at the same time, if you take away a lot of his progressions, it's a lot tougher for him to do the things that he does. 'Cause I think that the key for both guys is, and that's why I don't like CJ taking a lot of criticism for criticism this year about taking a step back. When you're dealing with a line like this in a situation like he's dealing with, he can't get through all of his progressions. He doesn't have the time to make the precision throws every time. But that shouldn't discredit when he does do those things, how accurate he is when you go back and look at the tape and watch games more than one time and see that he has to throw guys open, he has to throw to spots while he's running for his life, that in scramble mode while he is completely out of the pocket, he's able to do things with his body contorted that a lot of quarterbacks can't do. So when you look at those things, I think both guys are great going off script. Mahomes is a guy that doesn't have to make those kind of throws as much because he is the guy that's elusive and can extend plays that way. CJ Moreso is what I just said about throwing guys open and making those unbelievable throws while his body is in the air and contorted. And that's not to discredit either guy, it's just different ways of getting the same job done. - Yeah, I think Shroud's been more of a playmaker this year though, actually. Like he's used his legs, yeah, maybe it is at a necessity, the invention, mother necessity thing that we were talking about the other day. He has been more of a playmaker. I remember him saying earlier in the year too that Nixon challenged him to use his legs a little bit more. Now, well, let's be safe when we do that, CJ. You gotta be safe, you gotta be healthy, you gotta be upright, all of those things. Ocho blankers, but they can't stop the run when the opponents commit to it, talking about the Texans defensive line. - Have they really had a game this year where they've been torched? Like they got killed in Minnesota, but I don't remember the running game just dominating them. - I mean, Jonathan Taylor went over 100 in the last day. - Last week, he's torched? - Yeah, he went over 100 though, but he had like two huge chunk plays. Like it wasn't this just commitment to running the ball down their throat, you know what I mean? - Well, but so last week was the first week I took notice to say they weren't torched, but at the same time, they gave up multiple runs where he got to the outside or he had a hole and then was able to get way past the second line of defense and get, you know, seven, eight, 10 yards. It wasn't even a massive chunk. He just, when he got yards, he got substantial yards to where I was like, run defense isn't great today. - Yeah, yeah, I don't, yeah, I'm not gonna sit here and say that they're as good as Kansas City, like it's stopping the run. But I haven't looked at the Houston Texans to be like, oh, this is a team that just can't defend the run. - No, and I think that's, but the reason why it's more problematic because of last week was you were, you were focused on stopping the run. I think you were overly committed to you knew Jonathan Taylor and you knew that Richardson were gonna be guys that were gonna run. So you were supposed to be more focused on the run yet he was getting, when he was getting his, he was getting his. - They're also good at it though. You know what I mean? - Sure they are. - How many rushing yards did they have in that game? Probably like 120? 'Cause I don't know what, Richardson didn't have any, Richardson didn't have a huge day running the football. They didn't have anybody else. I don't even think anybody else took a carry in that game. So, yeah, they gave up 163. They gave 45 to Richardson 105 to Taylor and then 13 to Downs. So that's a bit high. 163 is higher than you would like it for it to be. 7-1-3-7-8-0-ESP and 2-4-1-9, the fact that you're comparing to Texans to the Chiefs is comical, the fact that they are the same. Okay, let's be very careful what we're saying here. I said the Texans are following the model. I said that they're following with the build. They're playing like the Chiefs played. - Identities. - Yeah, I've also said, not necessarily today, I've also said that the Houston Texans are not close to the Chiefs and the Ravens. I've said that their second fiddle to those teams. I said that the gap is greater today than it was the start of the season. So no way am I saying the Texans are equal to the Chiefs. I'm saying that the way that they've kind of modeled their team and the way that they're currently playing are similar. Really good defense, really good running game. Offense is okay. And then quarterback play that's going to bail you out of bad situations, which is exactly how Kansas City won a Super Bowl last year. It's more so to who their identity, what their identity really is. Because I think to the outside world and the national media, the Texans are a passing team. The Texans are supposed to be a passing team because they had digs and they have Nico and they've got tank. But when you watch them from a local perspective, the true reality of their identity is they're a running team that also can pass the ball when they need to, but they can't pass it as much as they'd like to because of the pressure that they receive from the bad offensive line play. - 8-4-1-2, what if you keep the rosters the same and switch coaching staffs are the results the same? - I think Andy Reid would have a ton of success with CJ Stroud. - Yeah, I would take the Chiefs coaching staff, not only Reid because Reid versus Slovak is a mismatch. Andy Reid's the greatest offensive mind in modern football history, but Spagnola might be a better DC than DiNico. - Remember a couple of years ago, Spaggs was like in the crosshairs that he could be fired because they were all hyper critical. It was him, not the defense. Spaggs is underrated even still with the as good as the defense been the last couple of years because the offense is what everybody looks at, but he's damn good. - Yeah, I think he would give another head coaching opportunity as well as defense has played. - I don't feel like he's ever gonna get it. - I know, I mean, because obviously the hot name when Kansas City forever was Eric the enemy and then he goes to Washington and that name fizzes a little out. - Oh, it's Nagy too. - And then Nagy fizzled with the Bears and now Nagy's the OC back with the Chiefs. - But Spaggs, I mean, I know he had, where did he coach before? I forget where he was. - St. Louis. - But the Giants too, wasn't he? - He was their interim. - I'm forgiving. - But he was the interim head coach. - He replaced me with a guy. - But he was the DC and then he was the interim. - Yeah. - As well as your defenses play the last two and a half to three years, I would think he'd least get a call in the interview that's this next hiring cycle. - We'll place Macadoo. I don't think so. I think his time as a head coach is done. You know, 64 years old, that's not ancient, but I don't think that Spagnola's viewed as an NFL experience. - I don't think so either as well. - I think he's the DC there until he retires. - And I think that sometimes that you got us, it's almost, it's hard 'cause the Bengals guy a couple years ago was on everybody's radar as a potential head coaching candidate because of how good they are. - I can't say his name. - Yeah, and then now it's like he's completely falling off the radar. - Yeah. I mean, that's the coaching business. You can be a really dang good defensive coordinator and you don't have the roster. You can be fired in a year and a half. Like that is the business. That's how tough it is in the NFL. - Look at Wayne, Mike. - It's really all coaching professions. - Wink forever was getting all the credit in the world for the Ravens defense and then all of a sudden where's he at Michigan now? - I mean, you can have this conversation it'd also be a Bobby Sloey conversation. As the shine on Bobby Sloey, like as an offensive play caller, like diminished to where he's not gonna be a hot name in the coaching side. - I think it has. - Like he was last year. Like last year, he still might not have gotten a job last year but say, "Hey, I'm gonna pull my name out." Like he might have saw the writing on the wall but even when that happened, the prevailing thought by everybody was that he was gonna get a job the next coaching cycle. As we talk October 30th, how confident are you that he's getting an NFL head coaching job? - I'm not confident at all. - I think it's less than a 50% chance. - I said this a couple weeks ago though, I think he's gonna get interviews. - Sure. - But not to the same level of the interviews that he got in the past with the same. I think a lot of people are gonna like kick the tires and maybe try to learn some intel along the way about what he knows and what he doesn't and how his philosophies are offensively. I don't think he's gonna be in high consideration at all for head coaching jobs this off season. If they keep going the way they're going, man. - All right, 713-780-ESP and HRMP listener line. If you can only get one position upgraded to the deadline, what would it be? 713-780-3776. It is the bees on ESPN 97-5 and ESPN 92-5. - Hey guys, before we go to the break, we're from our good friend, Doc Lindville. Look, just being honest with you and having just a ton of conversation with Doc Lindville, the fact of the matter is, he's a really, really good genuine guy that really cares about Houstonians and what he's emphasized to me and Granato and Todd and the people that he talks to here at the station is, he just wants enough people to be aware of the fact that there is a solution when you start losing your hair. It's not all the gimmicks that you see on TV late night and the other opportunities that you just know from the jump aren't gonna do it and get it done. This is really truly the solution that people that struggle with hair loss need. And when they get the results and they see what he can do, it's a game changer. And that's why I speak for him because I really wasn't even thinking about it. I was just steadfast in the fact that I was losing my hair and it's gone. And instead, he sat me down one day when we had asked me if I would talk to him when we were at one of the radio functions. And I said, absolutely sat down, talk to him, he explained the procedure to me. And I said, what do I've got to lose? I'm still losing my hair. If I gain anything, I could gain some. And I did the neograph procedure and I followed it up with the PRP treatments and I got my hair back and I was amazed. And I want you guys to at least have the same kind of consultation that I had. 'Cause if you sit down with Doc and his staff and they explain everything to you, it's really a game changer and it's at least something that you should be interested in considering because it gets the job done. All you gotta do is go to 975hair.com and you can get a free consultation like I got. People off the street pay 150 bucks for it. You get it free 'cause you listen to us and you wanna talk to him. It's awesome. And then just have them explain everything to you. PRP treatments and how that's like fertilizing your lawn and the hair that you still have will get thicker and stronger. And then that neograph procedure, which is actually essentially taking hair from an area of your head, you're never gonna lose it the sides in the back and putting it where you need it most, whether it be your hairline in front or a bald spot on top, he'll take care of it with the neograph and that hair will be there. And because he's taking it from a spot where it doesn't go away, it'll be there for the long haul too. Tell 'em I sent you by because I tell everybody that's interested at all, you need to go talk to Doc 'cause he really can't get the answers for you. Check him out, get the consultation, see if it's right for you, go to 975hair.com. ♪ Load and rate rule ♪ ♪ You're listening to ESPN 975 ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - You found the killer beans, live from the Veritex Community Bank Studios. Here's Joel Plankett, Jeremy Brannon. - It's a beast, ESPN 975, ESPN 92 5 713 780, ESPN question. If you could only get one position upgraded to the trade deadline, which a big day, big day, next week, NFL and otherwise. If you could only get one position upgraded to the deadline, what would it be? 713 7803776, what is the one position for you, Blankman? - I think that right now, because of all the national attention, everybody is focused on the loss of Stefan Diggs and the wide receiver position. But as we were talking about throughout the show, I just think the number one priority for them has got to be to upgrade this offensive line. I think that the fact is, is that you're losing Diggs, but you're also getting Nico back in a week. And you've seen enough to know that in small doses, Hutchinson's made catches to make you believe he can fill a role. Robert Woods can fill a role. Metche, you hope, can not only fill a role, but maybe take a step up and have a bigger role. But I think that that room is deep enough right now already to where you've got guys to where you're not gonna be inept. Whereas at the offensive line, there's just too many concerns and 'cause it's directly connected to CJ. Because of the fact that you've given Kenyon Green more than enough opportunity, because you have one guy in concussion protocol and another guy that maybe can't play anymore, or is not being used, you need help at Left Guard. And if there's a way to upgrade more than one position, so be it, but if you're focused on any one position that you need to get something done before Tuesday, to me, it's a no-brainer that it's the offensive line in its Left Guard specifically. - Yeah, I think that anybody who knows ball would say Left Guard when it comes to the Texans. If anybody didn't say Left Guard, I would highly question their ability to know ball, quite frankly. I think Left Guard is an obvious, obvious answer. - But you see so many people out there on social media and even working, you know, responses, wide receiver, wide receiver. You gotta get a wide receiver. - I don't think those people know ball. - Yeah, I think the key is, is there an opportunity to upgrade the depth at that position and it would almost be a luxury to be able to pull something off at this point in the season with the news you just got on dates? - Sure. - Should they be looking at it? Absolutely, especially because the prices have been really, really low. But the number one priority for this football team has got to be to upgrade the offensive line in Left Guard because a year ago when you were playing musical chairs and moving everybody around, you had better depth. You had other guys that could play well enough. - You do have a second rounder that you drafted named Blake Fisher. - But we've seen enough of him to know he's not ready and I don't know that you're gonna move him inside. - I would agree with that. - So I think-- - I know the answer, I think would be moving tight as hard as you want. And as he stated on his X, he does not want that. He is not that guy. - Well, he doesn't have any more, I'm sorry. - He doesn't have a choice. - I'm just saying, yeah, that could be your final option too. But now I think you're affecting two separate positions. I think that as much as Howard, you know, Fefell on his keister once, but I think he's definitely better than serviceable on the outside on the right side, you have to try and shore up Left Guard and I don't wanna change two positions for continuity. I'd rather just change, fix one. - Now, obviously we're having this conversation for the sake of radio. We do believe that they're not mutually exclusive, that you can upgrade both positions, but for the sake of the conversation, you only get one. You only get one, is it offensive line of receiver? It's like telling the kids tomorrow, does they go to bed? You only get one piece of candy. - I can look with that. - Reese, this is a KitKat. - Did Kat for me? - KitKat, Reese? - The answer's right. - The answer's yes. The answer's both, but Left Guard. And yeah, again, I would question anybody who does not say Left Guard, like 4963. After the digs news, definitely wide receiver, 4963. You don't know Paul. I'm sorry, you do know radio though, and entertaining sports radio, but Paul, I don't know. 9953, how does digs injury change the perception of contract restructure decision? I think it's probably sound, like it's good. Like you don't want digs under contract next year coming off of a torn ACL. Now, if you get to the off season, it's like, hey, he's recovering, he's going great. We really loved everything that happened here. We didn't see from Hutchinson and Metche what we thought. Then yeah, you'd bring back digs probably to discount. 6543, Left Guard, or Right Tackle, and move Howard to Left Guard. I don't, look, I don't care about Titus Howard's feelings. I don't care about any players' feelings. I care about the team and the team winning games. I care team more than the individual. I care we more than me, but I think Titus Howard's actually been pretty good at Right Tackle. I don't want to move him to Left Guard in less than who Titus Howard is as an offensive lineman, and then all of a sudden be searching for Right Tackle. And I agree with you about Blake Fisher. I'm not comfortable putting him in the starting lineup yet. And I just think, to me, it also comes down to why mess with two separate positions on the line when the guy playing one of them has still been good enough. And we know the glaring weakness is at Left Guard. - Yeah, I'm with you on that. 9271 VET safety. I don't trust Murray in ward playing the type teams and the playoffs that we're going to be playing. The secondary's very young and have not seen a lot of coverage to be solid. I think that it's fair to have a concern about safety, just not above Left Guard. I like what I've seen from Bullock, but if you're not comfortable with Murray in ward, I totally understand that. But give me Murray in ward over Canyon Green at Left Guard. 864, I agree, Blankers. We know that Diggs was just a glorified possession receiver and the drop-out from him to the next receiver isn't so great. That was Ocho. Ocho does not like Diggs. No point in having a great receiver. If CJ doesn't have time to get the ball out, definitely need a solid Left Guard, greed, agreed, Left Guard. I 100% agree with you, Blankers. In my opinion, CJ's in the class that he can create receivers like with Brady Mahomes and Manning. I don't disagree with that. I'm not saying that CJ's as good as Brady Mahomes or Manning, but I do think that a quarterback at the level, at a certain level, elevates the rest of the wide receivers, and I do think that shrouds that guy. And I kind of want to find out if he is. 9271, talking about the safeties that allows Jalen to be kept at roving linebacker and nickel. I don't love Jalen Petrie at nickel and man-to-man. - I don't love him in coverage. - Left Guard and Zoni's pretty good. - Okay. - Zoni's pretty good. - Look, I'm never going to question his ability to get into the box and hit and get in the backfield on blitzes and stop runs. It's just that I still think that there's something to be desired in his coverage. - Left Guard all day, no reason to get a wide receiver. If you don't have time to throw the ball tight in, that is good at both blocking and catching like a kiddletype, picks both protection and weapon in one. Yeah. I agree with you, nine, nine, five, three. Just where are you finding-- - Where are you finding George Kittle at this point? - Where are you finding George Kittle? - Let him go never. - Go trade a six for Ben Bartch for San Francisco. I've never heard of him or Austin Corbett. I don't watch offensive line play. I'm not Lance. And the 7-3-2-2 really missing Noah Brown right now. Agreed. You kept Steven Simms over Noah Brown. Pretty interesting. All right. 7-1-3-7-8-0-3-7-7-6. Can you give away some U of H football tickets? Yeah. U of H taken on Kansas State. This Saturday, it's 2-30 at TD ECU Stadium. It's going to be a blackout. Get ready for an afternoon of thrilling plays, hard hitting action, unforgettable moments, nothing beats the tradition, pageantry, and the roar of the crowd in a college football game. Do not miss our blackout special, a ticket, a t-shirt for only $30 to grab this deal, visit uhcoogers.com/black, uhcoogers.com/black. Come early, be loud, wear black as we pack TD ECU Stadium. Call our number four to 7-1-3-7-8-0-3-7-7-6. You win a pair of tickets to go see Houston and Kansas State this Saturday afternoon. Overreactions in the NFL. What do you have? 7-1-3-7-8-0-3-7-7-6. It's the bees on ESPN 97.5 and ESPN 92.5. All right, guys, before we go to break another quick minute here for underdog fantasy, and what are you guys going to watch tonight? The World Series, one of the big games, like Lakers, Cavs, or Celtics, Pacers, and the NBA, whatever your choice, the best way to enhance your experience is playing pick 'em games with underdog fantasy. It's simple with pick 'em games on underdog fantasy. You know the sport's right? Well, all you gotta do is choose higher or lower on player stats, like hit strikeouts or total bases in baseball or points rebounds that assist in the NBA. It's as simple as that. My entry tonight is a mix and match between the NBA and the World Series. You think Anthony Davis goes higher or lower than 19 and a half points? How about higher or lower on 14 and a half points for Tyrese Halliburton? And what about higher or lower than three and a half strikeouts for Garrett Cole tonight in Game Five of the World Series? Give me higher on all three. Gonna cash that entry later tonight. And don't forget while playing pick 'em that you can cash out a winning entry early by just tapping the win now button to cash out your entry whenever you want. And every dog deserves a second chance and with underdog rescues, you can get your money back and receive a promo if an early injury causes your entry to lose. And with that type of flexibility, why would you play anywhere else other than with underdog fantasy? So download the app, sign up with promo code BMAC that's BMAC and deposit now to get up to $1,000 in bonus cash instantly. That's promo code BMAC and you can get up to $1,000 in bonus cash instantly. Must be 18 plus in president and say we're underdog fantasy operates, terms apply, concerned with your play. Call 1-800-GAMBER or visit ncpgambling.org. - ESPN 97-5. (upbeat music) - You're locked in with The Killer B's on ESPN 97-5 at 92-5. Live from the Veritex Community Bank Studios. Here's Joel Blank and Jeremy Branham. - I have a pair of tickets for you. Mattress firm at Battleground, a 2K, 2-4 college basketball double header. Coming into the center Saturday, November 9th, catch high level. College hoops featuring rice in Florida State at six and then a top 10 matchup featuring Houston and Auburn at 830. You can purchase your tickets now at toyodacenter.com but you give away a pair right now to 713-780-3776. Call number four, let's call it basketball and try to be one of the final four. So 713-780-3776, you'll win a pair of tickets to the Mattress firm at Battleground, 2K, 2-4. What are your big overreactions that you have with college? Not college football, NFL. After this weekend's game, 713-780-3776. Here are a couple, Dangraziano ESPN. The Eagles offense is gonna be just fine. Is this an overreaction or is this reality? - I think it's reality. I think that they just have to be healthy. I think their offensive line has played very, very well and they've been out without one of their two receivers for almost every week in the season. Now that they're both back, they're healthy, sake one's running the football. I think the biggest concern was Hertz and he looks like he's playing a lot better now that he's got all of his weapons. I think they're gonna be just fine. - Yeah, I think that I do too. Like you, Jalen Hertz has been good. Saint Juan Barkley's been one of the top two running backs in the NFL this year. He and Derek Henry, I think, would be in that conversation. Devontae Smith, AJ Brown, maybe the best wide receiver duo in the NFL. And then Kellen Moore, I like Kellen Moore. I've been criticized for having that tag. I think Kellen Moore's a good offensive coordinator. So I'm right there with you. That one's reality. Anthony Richardson will not be the cold starting quarter back in 2025. - I think that's overreaction. I think that as much as there's now more deep-rooted concern than there was when he was hurt last year or anybody that when they drafted him thought, his throwing woes or other things were gonna be a problem. I think that this is a little bit bigger issue because of the fact that you have legitimate guys in the locker room that didn't like him tapping out. But and your coach, Steichen had a comment today at his press conference where he wouldn't commit that he was gonna be the quarterback next year and you know, or start again for the Colts. That's a little strange for a head coach with an organization that spent as high a draft pick as they did on him. But I think that he's got enough talent and the physical tools enough that he will start again for the Colts starting next year. - This thing is, this thing kind of, I don't know what to make of the situation. Shane Steichen's announcing today that Flacko's there a quarterback the rest of the way. The rest of the way, the rest of the way. So Anthony Richardson in his second year after being the number four pick in the NFL is not, unless there's health or performance based, is not gonna be the starting quarterback the rest of the way. So that means Anthony Richardson has one more year next year before you have to decide on his fifth year option. Otherwise it's a four year contract. So if you're making the decision to play Joe Flacko over Anthony Richardson, not one week or two weeks or hey, you know, I might lose the locker room. Let me have this little soft suspension on Anthony Richardson. You're going the full year with Flacko over a guy. You drafted it number four last year. That to me is you're quitting on him. That sounds to me like quitting on Anthony Richardson. I'm gonna, I think that this is reality. I don't think Anthony Richardson will be the starting quarterback next year for them. - Did you hit the follow up? - No. - 'Cause the follow up question was then, do you foresee Anthony Richardson starting games for the Colts again? - What's he supposed to say? - And he was like, well, I hope so, but you know. - So I, this is, I got a little theory here. I think Ursay's involved. - I was gonna say. - I think Ursay's the ballerness. I'm gonna say, yes, he's gonna start again. - Yeah. - I think Ursay says, I wanna win. And that's my number one priority. And if he's gonna be this bad, then Flacko can find a way to finish the season and give us a chance like Minshew did a year ago. And then we'll find somebody else yet again. - Yeah, that's where I'm at. - I think there's, I think both things could, I just think that at a certain point, cooler heads are gonna prevail. And if Ballard has his way, they're not done with Richardson yet. - I'm gonna, I'm gonna say this reality. The whole, the whole full year this year makes absolutely no sense. The bills are going to coast to their fifth straight AFC East time of reality or over reality? - Reality, reality. I think too is not gonna turn the dolphins around to that level. I think that the jets could possibly, if they beat the Texans, they still are in it to where they can, they can still have a big puncher's chance, but not a great chance. And the Patriots suck. So I think they're coasting. - Yeah, I hate to, you know. - You called that one. - I just had to pat myself on the back. But I was saying this before they ever played a game. - A four game lead already, don't they? - It's pretty big. - I think it's a four game lead already. - Yeah. - Which is crazy. - They should, they should definitely have that cleared up before December. - I was clearly wrong on the jets. - There's still time like Aaron Rodgers said this week. - Yeah. - And they are favorites tomorrow night. - Two and six. - There might be time to sneak in, but there ain't no time to win the division. - The Rams and Cardinals are both legitimate threats to win the NFC West. - I would say, even though McCaffrey's coming back, I think this week. - Is that right? - No, for all five. - He went back. - Sorry, he meant, sorry, he meant next game. - I think that they do, they both are legitimate contenders. I would say the Rams more than the Cardinals. I think the Cardinals are Fools Gold. I think that they can play very well. They also can crap the bed. And I think the Rams, as long as you got Stafford and those receivers, they're gonna be in a lot of football games. Rams, he has cards now. - I think everybody in the division is a contender. That division's wide open. It's anybody's race. - Seattle looked at total disarray. - They're tied for first. - Yeah, they worked out because he came back. - I understand, but they look completely, I mean, the fighting amongst the guys fighting each other on the sidelines. - They care, it just shows they care. - The dogs. - It just shows that they care. We fought, we fought verbally on the air. We care, we like each other. - I'm a dog. - We're not a winning team, but I mean, we-- (laughing) - We happen. - Yeah, I mean, look, I don't care. I have a little healthy altercation. I mean, Vernon Mack, when I came along, when we're nearly stabbing each other in the locker room and they want two titles. - Kobe and Jordan punch multiple teammates, right? - Yeah, Kobe and Shaq hated each other. Jordan punched Paxton. I don't mind a little fight every now and then. I really don't. I'm being dead serious. - We know. - I mean, I don't think it's the worst thing in the world. I think it actually builds camaraderie. I think you're closer together after a fight. Yeah. - Two mates fight each other every year. - Now, I mean, obviously it's fun to mock them. We're like, look at these. It's ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, but I don't think it makes them a lesser team. - I think that you have to have control of it, though, within the locker room. And then when you see Gina look like he was gonna cry and they couldn't do anything offensively. And you've got a good young defensive minded head coach, but it just seems like, like I said, that there's so many different things to point a finger at and go. What's going on here that it seems like there's a little bit of disarray with Seattle. - Yeah, it's just, it's just a crazy division. Like it's, I think anybody's alive. - Everybody expected the Niners to run away with it. And between the holdout and the help and everything that's been going on with the long injury to McCaffrey, it's set the table for it to be, you know, a wide open division. - The Falcon signing of Kirk Cousins has lived up to expectations. - So far so good for him. I think that people because of the success of the Lions and some of the quarterbacks and the stories like Daniel, Jayden Daniels, they're not looking hard enough on the fact that no matter what they did, once they signed Cousins with drafting Pennics and the things that they've done that look kind of foolish, Kirk Cousins has played really, really well. That has been a really good signing. - Yeah, they, I think they do need to make the playoffs to justify it, but if the season were at end today, they are the NFC South champions. So yeah, I think that has lived up to expectations. And I actually think it will. Like if I had to pick a champion today in that division, I do think it'll be Atlanta. - I do too. - Tampa Bay is the injuries they've had. Godwin, out for the year, Mike Evans is still gonna be out for a while. Bakers still has a propensity to throw picks. He's had a really good year. He's putting a big numbers, but now you're telling me you're gonna take away as two best receivers, and they're still gonna be the same kind of offense? I don't see it. - All right, seven, one, three, seven, eight, zero ESPN. What is your car wreck of the day? Seven, one, three, seven, eight, zero, three, seven, seven, six, what's your car wreck of the day? It is the B's on ESPN 97.5 and ESPN 92.5. If your car wreck of the day is, I don't know, human capital management, if it's HR, if it's payroll, if it's benefits administration with your company, I know just the people for you. HR and P, my colleague, you have H-Class of 1990, go Cougs. 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I think it's the two clowns and the stands for the Yankees and the fact that you thought it was okay to one, pry the ball out of Mookie's a bit, but two, the other dude too, for grabbing his arm and trying to pull him back up. Um, yeah, I'm gonna trash that. Finally, it's not the second. They, uh, trash. They turned, they single handedly turned that game around. Single handedly turned that game around. - I don't hear it's okay. - So the grand slam and nothing. - Why do you think Anthony Volpe or Volpe? - He was inspired. - Yeah, why do you think he was inspired? The momentum changed on that play. The momentum in the series changed on a dime and it goes back to that specific moment. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I said it earlier in the show. If the Yankees come back to win this series, those jabronis need a bust in Monument Park beyond center field at New Yankee Stadium. Ruth, Garreg, these two jabronis that single handedly brought the Yankees back to life. They were dead, they were dead! They're down three nothing in the series. They're down two nothing in game four. If they win the series, those two guys need monuments in Monument Park. I mean that. - They should take the number, the one that retired numbers away from one of the single digit guys to give it to these guys. - Yeah. - I don't think any one of them had a bigger impact. - They retired those numbers. - Ruth, Garreg. - Shocking that Brian is on the team. - Jeter? - Jeter should lose this number and give it to these guys. - These two losers. - Yeah. Number two, this guy, number three, that guy. (laughing) My car record today, James. - I've never compared you in a positive way with Jake Aspen before, but now you and Jake are in the same boat. How do you feel? - Well, Jake Aspen's making tons of money on YouTube. Influencer, he's a social media star. - So you aspire to be him? - This is, no, I mean, we have takes with people we don't agree with all the time. So yeah, I think this is a great take by Jake. He didn't say the best. - He said the best. - He said the best. - They said the hard ones. - They said the right ones. - He didn't go far enough. - Yeah, he was. He wasn't being as hard-o as he should have been. Detroit police letting Jameson Williams off the hook with this little gun charge thing. He had a gun in his brother's car. He's like, "Hey, I play for the Detroit Lions." The cop called his sergeant or whatever. The sergeant's like, "Hey, I'm a Lions fan." You can go away for no problem. But now they're being looked at. There's been a big investigation about this whole thing. And I think Jameson Williams has now been cited for this as well. There's always something with Jameson Williams. It's always something. It's okay with, let's go bet on games. Oh, it's an injury. Oh, it's, what did he get? This has been for P.E. - He's just something. - Oh, it's two games. Oh, now he's got a gun that he doesn't have. And like, if you want a gun, you got your freedom to do that, but you need to have a license for it. His brother had a license for his gun. He's perfectly fine. He doesn't have a license for his gun. Jameson Williams, there's always something with that guy. - Well, not only that, but he didn't endear himself to the city he plays in either. Because the dialogue with the cop was, when they asked why you have a gun, he said, "You see where I live?" - Oh, no. - Yeah, he said, "You see where I live?" "I gotta have a gun in Detroit." - Is that better or worse than, "Don't you know who I am?" - Well, he did that. - Oh, he did both. - Okay, great. - And the guy's like, "Oh, you are." That's good. It actually worked this time for a little bit of a waste. - But Detroit folks ain't gonna take too kindly to that. - I don't know. - I feel like Detroit kind of takes pride in the fact that they're kind of, you know, a bad boy city. - A bad boy city, yeah, for sure. - Yeah, I actually think that that, I actually think that's a term of endearment in Detroit. - We'll have to ask Brendan. - I don't think Brendan's a bad boy. - I don't know. - I don't think Brendan's a bad boy. - You would have a better idea of how people might take that comment. - I don't know if he would. Brendan's more than the suburbs. - I don't think you walk the miles out there. - Yeah, he certainly didn't walk my way a mile. Like, yeah, Brendan might not be the guy to ask on about how tough and how hard it is in Detroit. - People would receive a comment like that. - Maybe. - What are you nominating for the car wreck of the day? - So I looked up at ESPN here in the studio a little while ago and the headline that they were talking about was Bronnie set to play with LeBron for the first time since opening night. That's where the sideshow has gotten to this. It's not like, hey, a bitch guy comes into the game when we need him is that we're broadcasting, well, we're gonna make it a sideshow tonight. We're gonna decide to put Bronnie in. - No, they're playing in Cleveland. So yeah, so the fact is, I guarantee he will touch the floor tonight in the game because they're going back to Cleveland. - That's sure, that's why. It's just a train. - One million nomination on Trayvon Diggs. He talked with the media today. He apologized to Mike Leslie, the guy that he yelled at. He also gave him a gift to give him, I guess, a bottle of nuts. Like actual. - For the comment. - That's pretty funny. - That's pretty funny. - Give him some nuts. Now, I'm gonna nominate Diggs, though. If you're gonna be a jerk, you gotta live the gimmick. You gotta stay that way. All right, who's winning? I gave it to Jamison Williams. - I'm good with that. - Jamison Williams, you win Carrick. Thanks to Brian, the hard work he's blank on. Brian, I'm talk to you tomorrow. Soccer Matters, Glen Davis. Up now, World Series later. Goodbye, Houston. (upbeat music) - ESPN, '97 Five. - After countless steps and more than a few miles, her dog drives you forward one last time to make that final climb. And his rising sun peeks out from the horizon. You know, incredible happens here because it starts here with a fuel that makes it all possible. Proplan Sport. Discover advanced nutrition made to fuel strengthened stamina and active dogs like yours at proplan sport.com. (upbeat music)