The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Brian T. Smith Points Out The Texans' Biggest Issue, Consistency

Episode Date: December 13, 2019

Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle joins Matt ahead of the divisional matchup against the Titans as the Texans work to lock up the AFC South

This is the Matt Thomas show. Here we go, at 202 on Sports Talk 790. Every Friday, we spend 10 40 minutes with Brian T. Smith. I'm here in Orlando. Nick and Ross are back in Houston. All right, Brian, before we get to the Texans and Titans, we have a small bet we have to settle up here with. Did you ever in your life, besides BTS, have a nickname?

Not really, no. All right, Ross and I win. We both had you as no nickname. names. I enjoy nicknames for other people and, you know, athletes and people that I cover, but not so much myself. I get it. I think BTS hits perfectly. I'm a little low key, yeah. Yeah, it's very low key. All right. So we've done an instant poll. We've had people call in. We had the conspiracy theory call in and said that, you know what, we're making too much of this game this week because obviously the Texans can still win the division if they win the next. two after that. Where do you put this on the one to ten scale of how bad you need to see this

Texans team be the real Texans that they are this Sunday in Nashville? Yeah, those are all great points. I've thought about this obviously a lot this week. If they lose this game, it's going to feel really bad, right? They'll have had the horrendous showing against Denver at home after you know, the peak of the Bill O'Brien era against New England, there'll be a game back in the division with only two to go. And it will feel like the sky is falling a little to go from eight and four to eight and six.

And the Texans, I mean, if they lose to Tennessee this weekend, and let's say things really got crazy, because they have to play a weird game at Tampa Bay on Saturday at one. So technically short rest, you're going on the road, James Winston, even with all his issues, every once in a while, we'll throw five touchdowns in a game. You know, Mike Evans is out, but you could lose that game. So if they lose the Tennessee game, it's going to feel very dark and gloomy really quick, but we're not going to know what it really means because they should beat Tampa Bay.

And if week 17 is meaningful and they're playing the Titans again and let's say their season is on the line or the division is on the line, even if the Texans lose the next two, Matt, on top of Denver, I would still pick the Texans to win that game because it's in their building. Right. Sean Watson. So, you know, if they win it, good for them. And they can move this thing forward and they get it going again. And I expect them to beat Tampa Bay.

They finish two and one down the stretch. They win the division. They host the playoff game. If they lose it, there's no way around it. Sunday night, it's going to feel very dark and gloomy for 24 hours. So let me ask you this. If we've been looking for consistency under Bill O'Brien's regime, and I think he admitted as much earlier this week,

what part of you believes that Cal McNair is looking for that consistency? Great question, because I'm writing about it in Sunday's Chronicle. And I'm working on the story right now. I've been talking to people this week. Look, here's the ultimate issue. They can beat the Titans. but this season will come down for me, and I think every good Texans fan, and probably you, maybe Ross, can they do anything real this season? I mean, they were never Super Bowl contenders.

We expected them going into this season, though, to win the division, especially with Andrew Luck, not playing this year. Tennessee, you know, even though Taney Hills worked out, they bench Marriota. You know, Jacksonville has been a dumpster fire again. they'll probably fire their coach again. They change quarterbacks again. There's no reason in the world with their talent, with Deshaun Watson, when you beat the Patriots and the Chiefs, you cannot win the AFC South. And so consistency for me is the much larger issue.

And Bill O'Brien as a coach and a GM in the Jack Easter v. era, those are the real issues right now, along with Deshaun Watson's development. And, you know, we've been watching this for almost six full seasons, Matt. Bill O'Brien has one playoff win against a third-string quarterback at home in a game. There's no way in the world they were going to lose. They have to prove something this year. They have to finish strong down the stretch. They've got to win a home playoff game and then at least be, you know, three-quarters respectable.

Right. Even that, they did that with Brock Osweiler three years ago. So I haven't seen it. I have not seen the consistency. I haven't seen the development. And in many ways, right now as we speak, it feels like they're just spinning the wheel. You're seeing a same version of the same exact thing. And until they prove it, until Bill O'Brien and his team proves it in this franchise under Cal McNair, right now, as I speak, it feels like we're watching the same old Texans.

You use a phrase that I use a lot, spinning the wheels. Do you think the Texans, they do, obviously? It feels like it. Do you feel like the Astros and Rockets do the same thing? Do I feel like the Astros and Rockets spin the wheel? Yes. No. The Astros and the Rockets and they both at the Astros have some issues right now.

The Rockets, you know, I don't feel like they're a true contender this season at this moment. But no, they're in many ways the antithesis of spinning the wheel. And that's why I continue to be befuddled by how. And look, our audience is different than other media outlets in this town. It's just the reality of it, Brian. But when the other team, the Texans continue to spin the wheel and are repeating themselves, they get the pass that the other two teams in town don't get. And why is that?

I mean, are we going to go to that simplistic? It's for Texas. We're football. It all that matters. We have NFL here. Is that what it comes down to? I think there are two things in play. Number one, there's no way around it.

It's the ownership. And this goes back to Bob McNair. I mean, Cal McNair, Jim Crane, under investigation with his organization and an investigation with whatever, police escorts in Arlington, has technically spoken to the Astros, to the media, to the regional media, the local media, the national media. That's the fans, right? We are a conduit for the fans when you break it down. Jim Crane has spoken more than Cal McNair. who has spoken to the fan base in 2019. That is unbelievable.

Tim and Petita, when everything was going on with Darry in Hong Kong and China, Tim and Petita actually spoke a little more than Cal McNair had. So, number one, it is the ownership. You know, I mean, you have to keep in mind all this has happened in the season

that they fired their GM and it doesn't appear like to hire a GM and Jack Easterby's pulling the strings with Bill O'Brien on and on and on. But Cal McNair allowed this, bought into it, and I believe that's the test. I mean, Bill O'Brien's got three games to get this ship righted, and then they've got to prove it in the playoffs. And I will say this right now, and I've been hitting out all season. If I'm Cal McNair, I'm not, but if I am, and this team falls flat again, I'm moving on.

I'm blowing it up. I'm moving on. But who does he trust? What's that? Who does he trust? Who is he going to give the keys to? have to hire a general manager and maybe that's Easterby. Maybe that's what he's setting him out for.

It happens eight teams a year in the NFL. Look at the 49ers. Look at the Ravens. You're not going to find your next Belichick. This isn't a Patriot. You go across the board. There are multiple franchises with Kansas City, with Patrick Mahomes. Look at what Kansas City is doing Patrick Mahomes.

Look at what Baltimore is done with Lamar Jackson. Look at what Shanahan's done in a very short. time in San Francisco with Jimmy Garapolo. The Texans as an organization, in terms of the ownership, the expectations, the on the field coaching, the consistency, if

somebody gives you six seasons and Bill O'Brien might find his way out of this next three games, but if somebody gives you six seasons and you produce 38 to three against Denver, I don't see it going forward. Maybe that'll change the next few

games. This is their shot. But, But in terms of who did he trust, who did he turn it over to? It happens all the time in the NFL, and sometimes it backfires, and sometimes it really works out. And your organization takes a huge leap forward, and that's what Cal McNair should be thinking about right now. Is this the coach and the GM and the partnership and the situation that's going to win us a Super Bowl? Or are we just spinning the wheel? All right, with that being said, you're going to Nashville Sunday. What's going to happen?

I've got to pick, I mean, professionally, I've got to pick the Titans, right? In a close one, Derek Henry's hamstring does concern me, and he continues to play through it. But at some point, he's either going to keep running, you know, everyone in his path over or he'll end up on the bitch. Tanny Hill, you feel like you'll return to reality, but he's better than ever. I mean, this is the Lamar Jackson version of Ryan Taney Hill. And I wouldn't put it past the Texans, Matt, to actually, you know, show. something and get everybody back on board again, but professionally, you have to pick the Titans, but I'll say this right now. I will not be shocked if the Texans walk out of Nashville,

pumping their chest, and, you know, all the Texans are buying season tickets again. Last question. Let's flip to the baseball side of things, and I asked this to Brian McTaggart, who was in San Diego. How weird was it from you watching it on either MLB Network or seeing your Twitter feed? a guy that is forthcoming like AJ have to basically divert everything that was asked about the cheating stuff. And it was an uncomfortable spot for him for sure. And it was certainly surreal for us for someone that is a guy that gives you good answers. It gives you thoughtful approach to have to be so tight-lipped. Yeah, no, it's a great point.

I mean, I'll go back to what I said on the Matt Thomas show two weeks ago. And I wrote about in The Chronicle two weeks ago. I mean, the Astros are in limbo. and that's not even referring to free agency and losing Garant Cole to the Yankees. The Houston Astros, until Major League Baseball speaks, and according to Manfred, this is, you know,

the largest investigation they've ever done, which blows my mind considering some of the things that have happened in baseball in the last 20 or 30 years, steroids, etc. Until Major League Baseball delivers its report, the Astros are stuck in limbo, and if you're Luno, if you're Crane, if you're Hinch.

I mean, there's a reason on Astroline, right? And I'm probably blurring their lines right now. We're not getting any, you know, the players aren't speaking. There's a reason that when the players are around, you know, they're not being asked about this. I mean, it's almost like, don't ask, don't tell, keep your head down. And they may be cleared. And we're talking about baseball again, or it could get really nasty. But that's why Hinch isn't speaking because he can't right now.

And you know what? I don't necessarily blame him in this particular case because if you're under investigation and your bosses and Major League Baseball and your parent company says do not speak to this, I'm not saying he should answer questions. I'm just saying it's just been a very awkward time because the Asteroline Show does have Jeff. The Astroline Show has players.

It's just made it the most peculiar offseason in many, many years for what has turned out to be one of the best organizations in baseball the last half doesn't. No, it's absolutely unprecedented in Astros' history, and it will either. I mean, it will go one or two ways. Either history will smooth this out, and it'll end up big picture being a blip on the radar, and it will be lost in history in 10 years, and you'll say, oh, they asked, remember, the Astros on three titles, remember that weird period with banging on trash cans, or it will go in a whole other direction, but, yes, the optics are very odd,

and it's very telling that Hinch can't speak, but the flip side is, it makes 100% perfect sense because how could he say anything publicly when he said everything privately and nothing has been revealed thus far. Yep. Brian, safe travels to Music City. We'll talk again next week, my friend. Thank you for the time. Thanks a lot, man.

I appreciate it. You've got it. Brian T. Smith from The Chronicle. You can find him on Twitter at Cron Brian Smith.