The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - ESPN's Dan Orlovsky On How Texans Can Combat Pressure From Chiefs Defense: 'Perimeter Screens'

Episode Date: January 16, 2025

The Houston Texans are two days away from facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. Quarterback C.J. Stroud and his offense will face cold temperatures, mild winds and a deafening crowd at Arrowhead Stadium in an attempt to knock off the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and earn the franchise's first AFC Championship appearance. "I don't have any reservations about who C.J. is," ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said. Orlovsky, who played quarterback for 12 seasons in the NFL, acknowledged Stroud's phenomenal play but is concerned about the offense's efficiency against a high-pressure Chiefs' defense. "Every play, you're expecting a blitz, so it doesn't surprise you." Kansas City's defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will look to expose the protection issues of the Texans' offense, but Orlovsky has an idea as to how Texans' offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik can combat the blitz: "perimeter screens."

Pleased to be joined by Dan Orlovsky, Mr. Do Everything for ESPN on Get Up, on the NFL shows, does a great job as well. Thanks for joining us. Dan, how are you? I'm doing fantastic. How about you guys? Good. We're also pulling our hair out trying to figure out what's going to happen with this tech as an offensive line. We'll get to that in a second. But you as the quarterback, of course, and as somebody who played here in Houston, Ross and Dan with you here. I do have to ask you right off the bat, who is the real C.J. Stroud? Yeah, I mean, CJ's a sensational player. He's a young man that, you know, obviously took the league by storm last year.

And, you know, all offseason, I was one who was pretty clear of what he did was even greater than maybe the numbers painted the picture as because he was so remarkable on third down. And that masked a lot of some of the inefficiencies of the offense as a whole. And that's obviously one of the harder downs to be good at that position of the league. So it was even more impressive than again, maybe the surface numbers said. And then this year it caught up to them a little bit. This year, the poor performance on first down caught up to them. This year, the lack of consistently being able to control the line of scrimmage on a little downs and the poor protection. I remember going back to week one and I did a quick little thing on NFL line.

I was like, man, they better figure out that protection because it was ugly. And it's rains terror on their offense. And as it impacted CJs, you know, play negatively, there is no question about it. Has he played lesser than he has at last year? Absolutely. But I think that's the direct reason why that the protection has kind of impacted him, impacted his vision, made him a little antsy at times, which is 100% a real thing.

But I don't think that's made him a lesser player now. Again, Dan Ollowski, join us here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. Dan Matthews in for Matt. Dan, a couple of the things that we've been talking about all, week that seemed like it was the aha moment for C.J. is one, the busted play with the fumbled snap and he's got to roll out, find Savior Hutchison, and also using his legs. Did you see a guy in the second half who got back to being the guy that he was last year where, I mean, let's call it what it is, his own words.

He was a killer on the field last year. Yeah, yeah. I mean, that's kind of one of the things that he has done a little bit more. I would say this year is take off with his legs and be a threat. you know, situationally, it's not necessarily that you're designing quarterback runs for him, but those situational backbreaker, Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow type of runs where, you know, it's third and six and they take off. And it's like, oh, my gosh, everyone was covered, but he got a first down. So, yeah, I saw that. I don't have any reservations about who CJ is or what CJ is. I think that, you know, some of the injuries and the lack of performances have been the

significant part of why the play has fallen off. But that's going to be a huge part in this game for them this weekend as well as, you know, for both quarterbacks is who's going to have those two or three runs and those crucial moments to either, you know, keep a drive alive or put points on the board or take three minutes off of a clock longer. And so, yeah, I think that's another kind of as, I don't want to see, asterisk of bullet point in this game as, you know,

can CJ pull those off? One of the big problems with the offensive line has just been allowing those free runners, Dan, with maybe a lack of communication. And I am worried about that. Going up against the Spagnola defense this weekend on the road in a loud arrowhead environment. How do the Texans in the offensive line prepare for that? Yeah, I mean, it's obviously a huge part of the challenge. I think the number one thing that they can do to help that is you've got to run the football

and 21 personnel, something that actually going back to a couple weeks when they did play, they were decently successful at it. And so 21 put a fullback on the field or maybe utilizing a tight end in that role, but you've got to be able to do that. The second thing is this. Actually, I'll make this the first thing. Every single time that CJ breaks down and walks the line of scrimmage, he's got to be thinking blitz.

Because it comes at any point from anywhere. The situations don't matter. So there has to be a constant at the forefront of his mind. Where's the blitz coming from? And it's almost like as a quarterback, you're often reacting to the blitz. This is a reacting to the no blitz situation. CJ. Like every play you're expecting

a blitz so it doesn't surprise you. Then again, the 21 personnel has got to be a big run. I think the second thing is you got to try to hit some screens against them when they pressure you. You know, there's two methods dealing with pressure as an offense.

You want to try to survive it or you want to try to kill it. And one of the ways that you try to, you know, do both of them at the same time as some perimeter screens where it protects you, you get the ball of your hands. There's usually more than not a bad play that out. But if you catch it at the right time,

right angle, right people, you can hit on run. And so I think some of the perimeter screens or slip screens would be a big deal. And then, I mean, one of the things that was disappointing is the plan for protection and the execution for protection. And so, you know, you've got to have a plan for it. You got to know exactly how you want to protect it and communicate it. And while it's hard, you know, it's one of the challenges of the business. You know, if it's third down, I wouldn't be surprised if you get into,

from no huddle and try to give yourself as much time at the line of scrimmage to communicate. And then one of the things I've always learned, and I learned this from Coach Kubiak, and if everybody's wrong, we're going to be okay. So you don't chase perfection in these situations, you know, like to think that you're going to get to line scrimmage and know exactly what's going to happen. And that's not real. But as long as everybody's on the same page and it knows what or who the problem is, you're going to be okay more often than not.

And so that's the big thing is you can't have four guys thinking one thing and one person doing another thing. That's when catastrophe happens. Again, Dan Rolowski, joining us here on the Matt Thomas show with Ross. And you mentioned the screen game. I mean, that's something that I've been screaming about all season, Dan, with Joe Mixon. I mean, you see it all the time. He's running into a wall. He's running for 40, 50 yards a game.

He can't really get the run game going. And you hear Bobby Sloak talk about one that get the run game going. But all off season, Dan, we heard about what a great pass catcher he was. out of the backfield. I mean, are you kind of disappointed in Bobby Sloick for not using that part of his game more, especially factoring in the struggles at times? No, there's no question about it. I mean, I'm a massive fan of the screen game in general.

I mean, if you look at just if we're, you know, tree top view looking at some of the offenses that have been really good this year and certainly in years past, you would sit there and go, Kansas City, man, okay, really good screen game. And then you'd go, well, Detroit, yep, really good screen game. Well, the Minnesota Vikings, really good screen game, and the Los Angeles Rams, really good screen game, and the Buffalo Bills, really good screen game. So, you know, I think in totality, you know,

that's got to be one of the foundation staple of your offenses, different screens that you can get to. You're just trying to create a numbers advantage and then space advantage. And so I think it's a different way to get Joe mixing the ball. It's a different way to, you know, what a mixing strength is. He's a tough tackle, man. This does a tough tackle instead.

And so, you know, I think it's also a breather for your quarterback. You know, we're calling this player. We're running this, but you don't have to think much. And so, you know, it's something that I would try and hit four or five times on this game. A couple of more minutes with Dan Orloskey. And Dan, I mean, off topic football-wise, I told Ross, I told the audience I'd ask you this. You're pretty renowned for your food takes. So two-part question here.

Number one, what gets more of a visceral reaction, analysis that maybe upsets a fan base or your food takes, and is there a food take that you are willing to die on a hill for? And, I mean, even you're hunched over skull and bones on that hill when it's all said and done, that you will not come off of it. Yeah, definitely a fan basis. You know, I always say this. Every year it feels like the fans become more and more passionate. And listen, when you're in my role, like, and you're convicted about the things you say,

it's going to come your way. So at times I'm like, oh, that's a tough. one, but definitely the fan bases. But the food does make people upset in an odd way, you know. The food take that I would die on is, I think mushrooms are disgusting. That's one that I ain't blinking off. I ain't blinking off that one. Yeah, I know. I often say like, I love a good meal. I do. I do. I love a good meal. But I don't need a good meal every time I eat. It's not like I have to walk away from having, you know, food and being like, oh, my gosh, that was an auto body experience. And so, you know, I think that that's probably one as well. It's

funny, you guys, Houston, we used to live down there. We were having a, you know, group text with some friends up here in Connecticut. My wife was vividly describing L-T-Empo to them. And a sponsor too, Dan. Well done. Yeah, I honestly did not know that. And it was, it was great having the questions fired back from them of like, wait, what? They put brisket and casso and we're like, yep. And then they were like, wait, you dip your fajitas and butter and we're like, yeah, oh, yeah.

The food stuff triggered my mind. That's great, Dan. One last one before we get you out. Just your eyes, what the Texans defense is going to have to do, and then a prediction and then take it easy on us with the prediction here in Houston. Yeah, again, I think Kansas City wins the game. I don't want to misrepresent it, but I do think Houston can hang, and their really question is, can they do enough offensively?

You know, can they do enough, obviously, the depletion? But I think defensively, if you had to ask me, you know, build a defense that could, you know, really hold its own and have success against this chief's offense. I say, man, you've got to have two good edge rushers, and you've got to be able to play man coverage. Well, you know, and so I think that's what gives them a good feel in this game is, you know, Will and DeNeil were freaking unbelievable last week, and I think their heavy hands are a big deal versus these tackles.

Al-Shayyar definitely was a miss, you know, when you felt his impact. And then they can play man, you know. And so I actually think that their defense can keep them in the game. I wouldn't be surprised that this is a one-score game on the fourth quarter. I just don't know if they can do enough offensively versus a darn good defense. Dan, appreciate the time, man. Good stuff as always. It's great to hear you get here in Houston.

And, of course, you get to see him on Get Up. first take, pretty much any of the NFL shows. Everything. I was going to say. I mean, you know, fill in the blanks that I'm missing here, Dan. Yeah, there is nothing. I tell everybody, Austin, you know, the best part about ESPN is it's 24-7, you know, so it's obviously got a massive platform, and there's a lot of opportunity.

And the worst part about ESPN is it's 24-7. You know, there is always another show looking for somebody. So, no, it's all good. super great for I get to be a part of it. Awesome, man. Hey, thanks for carving us some time for us today, man. We really appreciate it, and we'll catch up soon. Thanks, guys.

All right, take care, Dan Orlovsky again. ESPN, former Texan. You'd even thrown out the idea of do you throw out Texans legend. Texans legend, Dan Orlovsky. Appreciate him making some time for us. He was a stalwart in that locker room. He was always a go-to guy, talked to. Even off Mike, you know, you knew that he probably had the gift for doing what he does now.

The gift of Gab, certainly. Good stuff there with Dan Orlovsky. You want to react to anything he had to say about the Texans this weekend against Kansas City Chiefs? You can do so.