The Matt Thomas Show with Ross - Patt Starr Discusses How Bill O'Brien's Thinking Has Changed

Episode Date: November 8, 2019

Pat Star of StateOfTheTexans.com joins Michael to discuss the Texans upcoming matchup with Baltimore and where they stand at the BYE

is the Matt Thomas show. It's the final hour without Matt Thomas. Michael Connor here with you, Nick Lowe as well. We're back to you guys on the phones in the next segment, but this team has a week off, and Pat Starr's not taking a week off because he's kind enough to join us. Pat Star State of the Texans.com. Pat, appreciate it as always,

as the team enters the by-week six and three. from the preseason expectations. This is about where you expect them to be at this point? You know, when you think about it, Michael, by the way, how are you doing? And hopefully both of you are staying warm. Hey, YouTube, Pat. Yeah, this is ridiculous. This is ridiculous.

Not good. But, you know, if you and I had this discussion, you know, everyone had this discussion, if the Texans were sitting six and three, no matter the combination. and I know the talking point, and I just think that strength of schedule at the beginning of the season is just exactly for that to have something for media and everyone like that to talk about the NFL to talk about schedules and all that. I think it's kind of overblown, but just the quarterbacks that were on the schedule. And, of course, some got knocked out due to injury and some, you know, exceeded expectations like Gardner, Menschu, but the Texans, in my opinion, are in a good spot. Did they exceed expectations?

I think that just like most Texans teams during the Bill O'Brien era, you could see them when you look at any schedule anywhere from 1 in 8 to 8 and 1 because you just never know. That's how volatile they are as a team in terms of a possession away, a play away, or anything like that. But I'll tell you the one thing that probably, has me the most surprise is I'm seeing a team that, in my opinion, is showing signs of things that they've never done in the Bill O'Brien era, travel to Kansas City to beat Patrick Mahomes

and the Chiefs at Arrowhead, traveling to London with expectations high in a situation they've never been in before, and dismantling the Jags the way they did. Of course, the Falcons, in my opinion, were, we know are not a very good football team. now, but even Matt Ryan, they slowed him down. And they showed out well in week one against the New Orleans Saints, despite having practically eight new faces in the locker room just four days earlier. So I think that they've done things that they haven't shown in the past. And I think that one person that's probably not getting enough credit just because a lot

people don't like giving them credit is Bill O'Brien. And I think that the one thing minus all of his moves and all those things, I think that you're seeing a coach that's now realizing that he has to find ways to get Deshaun Watson the football in his hands to end games. Because remember, prior to this, Michael, it was always about let's let the defense win this game, right? How many games did we see them just that they fall flat on their face? And even earlier in the season, they get that with the Saints when they left it in the hands in that week one game. you saw a team that just couldn't slow teams down. Tom Brady twice, Russell Wilson.

I'm probably missing quite a few in that stretch, too. But now you're seeing Bill O'Brien saying, you know what, we have the best player on the field. 99% of the time when he has the football in his hand and Deshawn Watson. We're going for it on fourth and two. We're going for it on fourth and three. We're going to make sure that he has the ball in his hands at the end of the first half and at the end of the game.

and we're going to let him kneel it out. We're not going to leave it in our hands of our defense to win games. And I think that is not getting enough credence in how much the thinking has changed inside that building on what type of team they are. You know what, I am with you. And I know that there's never like a middle ground with people, especially when you do it on social media or just in general, really, to talk about the Texans. Because, I mean, Bill O'Brien's brought a lot of it onto himself over the years. And they've done it as an organization to make us not have complete trust we want to buy in. but this is the most encouraging football that I've watched in a long time with them,

feeling like, okay, they're actually building some. There's a little bit of magic here. And it gets back to the biggest piece of all that being Deshaun Watson. I mean, what have you seen where he's taken his game to the first nine games this season, even to a different level because he's been fantastic before, but it feels like an even more ridiculous cheat code having him out there? I think how patient has become as a passer. I think that he's realized that he's good enough to beat every team

defense that anything throws at them, that they throw at them, with his short passing game. Remember, we saw early when he showed up as a rookie, you know, the Texans were trying to do everything they could to kind of inch him along so they didn't have to rush them on the field because we've seen across the NFL plenty of times when you rush rookie quarterbacks that growth can be stunted and all those other things. And sometimes those rookie quarterbacks can get a little ahead of themselves and think that they're the busy needs when they haven't accomplished anything, but luckily Deshaun's pretty grounded in that sense. But DeShone has always had the knack for the big play, the deep ball.

And, you know, whenever the number one rated offense, ranked offense in the NFL, his rookie season, they were predicated off the deep ball. And a lot of NFL teams did know what to hit, what hit them. And then over last, you know, last year, the teams decided, you know what, we're going to take away the deep ball and we're going to force DeShon to be patient. And I think that's part of the problem. That's what got them in the AFT wildcard game. game, the game against Jacksonville early, and probably his worst game of the season against

the Carolina Panthers. But to me, the thing that's changed him the most is his patience as a passer. Understanding, you know what, I don't have to throw it deep eight times a game on those 20-plus targets. You know what? I can throw it 25 times nine yards or less and let my playmakers work and eat and make big plays because guess what? I'm good enough to hit those deep balls.

Maybe they only present themselves three times a game, but I'm good enough to hit two of the three or all three. And those can be game-changing plays. And I think that's where, in my opinion, Deshaun has really, really turned the corner in terms of a quarterback. He can play either way. He can play. We saw it against New Orleans where they went 75 yards and two plays

to take the lead late in that game. And we've seen them put together, especially late in these past months when he was, you know, players of a month in October, 14, 15 play drives of him just dusting the ball off one or two yards, letting his playmakers just make plays. And I think that's where you see Deshaun, his ability to have different levels, different speeds, different paces on how he can play quarterback, and it makes it really tougher defense with the handle.

It's Pat Star State of the Texans.com with us here on the Matt Thomas show without Matt Thomas. Michael Connor here with you. All right, up at your site, state of the Texans.com, you have all the midseason type of stuff as we hit the by week, even though it's past the midway point. But the biggest surprise individual and the biggest disappointment for you to this point, part of the season, as I can't speak suddenly, is who? For me, I did, well, we'll start off with the back first because we always want to end on a good note, right? Yeah. So the biggest disappointment I have up on the same.

right now is Jordan Thomas. And also I think you can put and or Kiki QD on that. But Jordan Thomas, for me, is probably the big one because he had such high expectations, even during camp, OTAs. He was lighting it up. He looked good in the shorts and shirts. Him and Deshaun were looking great because at that point there was no Fuller Air Hopkins out on the field and Jordan Thomas was making spectacular catches and then

all of a sudden a hamstring injury hit him. and he never regained his spot at all. Dan Sal's past him who now Dan Tills is leaving the NFL. Imagine that. A tight in for the Texas of leading NFL in touchdowns at his position. Dan Aykins has been a plus, and they've stuck with those two. And a rib injury late in the preseason game, the fourth preseason game, which he played all of it.

I just think that the expectations they had for Jordan Thomas, what they thought he could be, just never panned out this. season. And now you start worrying about his long-term ability with the franchise because through two years, if you're not making headway, that leaves a small, small window to see if you can help it all. And now you have two guys, which we know Joe Mekins is coming back next year. And then you also have Dan Fills, who they'll probably make a priority to bring back next

year. Those snaps are really, really small for him next year, which makes you wonder how he's going to fit in his offense moving forward. Obviously, injuries can happen. We don't wish that on anyone. But to me, I think he's been one of the biggest disappointment with as much work he did during the off season. And to me, the biggest surprise for me has been crowded aside. I don't know how anyone could have imagined that he would have been this. Remember, this is a guy that the Cleveland Browns gave up on, Jacksonville Jaguars. gave up on Kansas City Chiefs just this year. It said, you know what?

You're not going to be a part of our plans, despite you being one of our prior, you know, free agents that we signed this off season. Let's call the Texans. Lamar Miller just got hurt. We'll trade you. And he's been nothing but a battering ram and a back that actually looks like the guy that came out of Ohio State and made his mark with the San Francisco 49ers who, he was trending up before he went to Cleveland.

That's what seems like a lot of things these days, right? Like you trended out before you hit Cleveland. It's crazy, Michael. If you look at it, Duke Johnson, and I have an article about Duke Johnson, Darren Feld, and Carlos Hyde were all teammates at Cleveland last season. They all arrived at Houston at different times.

In nine games this season, all three combined have, what, nine total touchdowns compared to six they had last year. They've outgained all their, all-purpose yards in just nine games compared to the 16 they had last year. So for me, Carlos Hyde's been the biggest one, just because he's been passed over so much. He just didn't know if he had anything left. Teams treated him like he was just the baby's bathwater, so to speak, and throwing it out. And to see him come out and be the reason for the run game,

he's averaging nearly five yards of carry per rush. and he has some fumbling issues we need to get handled. But I think that he's been way bigger, surprised, than most expected. For the first three games out of the buy at Baltimore, home for the Colts, home for the Pats. You get through that, the final four feel a lot easier, but it's still the NFL. Ten wins minimum for this season, right? And I would guess that you feel like I do that 11 is very much the expectation, at least for me. Yeah, I think that's kind of how you have to put up this next stretch.

They can't get shut out. They've got to win one of the next three. Two of the three would be even better. If they win three out of three, then they're in a really good shape. But they've got to win one of the next three. I know that's a low bar, but all three of these games, in my opinion, are toss-ups. I can see all three of them go either way for the Texans. I can see them go really good or really bad.

But we'll see how it is, again, to show them. on often suiting up. And like you said, the last four, I think they have Tennessee twice, Tampa Bay, and I can't remember the last game. That's in that stretch. But we'll see what they're made of up in these next three. Hopefully they get their quarterback group relatively healthy, at least one of them. Maybe they get Lonnie Johnson.

We'll see what Bradley Roby is with his hamstring injury. But, yeah, it's interesting. Like you said earlier, when we started talking about the six and three, where they were, how they were. where they fit. So it's going to be interesting to say the least. But yes, I think that where they're at six, they can get seven, they're looking at 10 or 11 easily.

Yeah, and the other game that you're looking for, there was a home game against Denver after the New England game where, be honest, that's a game you should win. Pat Star State of the Texans.com with us here on Sports Talk 790. Real quick before we let you go, you'd mention him a couple of minutes ago, and, you know, it's been odd what has gone on. But Kiki QT, it's,

they could use him, and especially in this stretch without Will Fuller, what the hell's going on? Well, unprompted on the last media day that we had, Bill O'Brien and wide receiver coach, John Perry, both talked about attention to detail of Kiki, also talking about practice habits, the practice field. So reading between the lines, you know, I guess you can put it together. he's not holding up its end of the bargain inside the building on the practice field. He's been healthy. He's been suited at, and he hadn't touched the field the past two weeks. And I'll be honest with you, Michael, I'm in the concern level for him, too, because Bill O'Brien mentioned that he did have a sit-down meeting with Kiki Qudy.

Before the by week, he's expecting Kiki to come back, focused, ready to go, contribute. We'll see if that comes to fruition. but when you have a sit-down meeting with Bill O'Brien, to me, I think, and Bill O'Brien mentions it in open air public for everyone to consume, the red flag is waving because that tells me, because those are things that he just doesn't offer up as a head coach. And when he starts offering that type of information up, to me, I think those situations are critical, which falls on Kiki to get his act together. because the last time that Bill O'Brien had a sit-down meeting with someone that he actually talked about out in public was with Deonté Foreman. We know how that ended. So I am interested to see how this plays out when it's done. We know that Kiki founded.

Now, Michael, you and I have talked about him when we see each other, how, you know, what you saw at touch with him. Yeah. And that, you know, him being able to bring what he did there here. but obviously Bill O'Brien's one of those guys you've got to do more than just make it happen on the field he's got to see things inside the building not only in the film room but on the practice field to show that you're fully committed to this team

and if you're not playing and you have talent like Kiki I think it's pretty easy to put two and two together to figure out what's going on yeah I hate it I want to see him get back out there because I got the extra pull of wanting to watch him do it and the guy looked good you know when we've seen him brief stints last season out there. Pat Starr, state of the Texans.com, anything that we need to

be keeping an eye out for before we get back into football action over there at the website? No, I don't think everything's pretty much up there. We're probably going to take a little hiatus. We kind of hit it kind of hard. But like I said, there's a few articles up there. A couple of the position coach talks about players specifically, Charles Minahue, the trio from Cleveland at an hour in Houston. Also, a wide receiver coach, Sean Perry on DeAndre Hopkins leadership, things like that, plenty of that on the site. I will be... We'll get crazy back up on the city's time.

Yeah, and I'll be there checking it out. Appreciate it as always. You always come through. When I'm thrown into it at last second, I always appreciate it. All right, Mike. I'll talk to you soon. Stay home. All right.

We'll see you later. It's Pat Star, state of the Texans.com.