- 8 minutes ago
Audacy NFL Insider Ross Tucker joins Payne & Pendergast for his weekly Tuesday visit. Ross breaks down the Jacksonville Jaguars' aggressive deadline moves for Jordan Davis, what win total C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans need to reach to grab an AFC wild card spot, and previewing the upcoming matchup against Deshaun Watson and the Cleveland Browns. Plus, Ross analyzes the Jonathan Taylor trade buzz and shares his weekend trip plans to Las Vegas and the Sphere.
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00:00It's a couple minutes after 7 o'clock on a Tuesday during the NFL season, so on this show that
00:05can only mean one thing, it is time to talk to our Odyssey NFL Insider, the great Ross Tucker, joining
00:11us here on the program.
00:12NFL Insider Calls presented by Nationwide for your insurance and financial needs.
00:17Nationwide is on your side.
00:19Good morning, Ross. How are you?
00:22I am fantastic. How are you guys doing?
00:24We're doing good, man.
00:25We were just talking in the previous hour, because this affects the Texans, because they're chasing the Jags right now.
00:30What is your reaction to this all-in, pushing the chips to the middle of the table that the magnificent
00:36James Gladstone is doing right now in Jacksonville?
00:43Well, it's interesting because I think if you look at every move he's made, in particular Bates and Jordan Davis,
00:55it feels like he's overpaying.
00:58I think from his perspective, he looks at it like, hey, the time is now.
01:06We are as good as anyone.
01:09This is our chance.
01:12The mindset, mentality, and culture in that locker room of them knowing, hey, we are going to try to win
01:22this whole thing right now,
01:23I think there's a lot of value in that, and I think what they would tell you is draft choices
01:34are a crapshoot.
01:36They've done the work to indicate that, you know, even like a late first-round pick, 50% of those
01:46guys don't really become good players.
01:48So, in their mind, if they can get Jordan Davis, who they know is a good player, and they know
01:56can fill a role that they need right now,
01:59and by the way, he's under contract for years, they're willing to do that as opposed to the percentage chance
02:07that they would draft a good player.
02:10Certainly, the finances come into play, but the Eagles actually gave Jordan Davis a lot of the money up front.
02:18So, Jordan Davis' contract is very palatable the next few years.
02:25So, that's one thing I said on today's Ross Tucker Football Podcast.
02:29I would encourage everyone to check it out.
02:31You may not realize it, but there's a huge missing void in your life if you don't.
02:36True.
02:38And so, by all sincerity, like when you hear trades go down today, if someone doesn't mention the player's contract
02:47and or how many years are on it,
02:50if they just say, they gave up a third for him or they got a first for him, that person
02:57does not know what they're talking about
03:00and does not know how these teams look at it.
03:03Well, that's a – and the one thing I really wanted to ask you about, because you're up there in
03:07the Philly area
03:08and we know you follow the team, is that Jordan Davis hasn't been playing like the classic and best version
03:15of Jordan Davis this year,
03:16and it's not like I've watched every one of his games, but I've seen a lot of people kind of
03:20concerned about the fact
03:21that he's just not dominating the way he used to.
03:23Do you suppose that might just be a little bit of an offshoot of the whole bucket of misery that's
03:30going on in Philadelphia
03:31more so than because of Jordan Davis himself?
03:34Well, so there's a couple things.
03:36Number one, Jalen Carter and Mauro Ajomo are really good interior rushers,
03:43which is why Davis is not out there in passing downs.
03:47I tend to think the Jaguars will have him out there in passing downs, and as you know, Seth, that's
03:54a massive difference.
03:55And by the way, he has shown that he can rush the passer.
03:59Last year he had some really good pressures and rushes and sacks,
04:03so I think the Jaguars think that there's more there.
04:07My issue is that I think they got him primarily because Devon Hamilton tore his Patella tendon,
04:15and Devon Hamilton is out for the year,
04:18and he was basically as good of a run-stuffing defensive tackle as there was in the NFL.
04:25And I think that's why they got Jordan Davis.
04:28I guess the issue I have with that is he's good.
04:32He's not as consistent as I would like him to be in that role.
04:37You know, like he physically has all the traits, and he'll have some really good reps,
04:42but he has some reps that aren't good, too.
04:44And there's a lot to give up for a guy.
04:48Number one, he better be lighted out against the run,
04:51and he better give him some stuff against the pass.
04:54Ross Tucker is our Odyssey NFL insider.
04:56He's joining us here, as he does each and every Tuesday at 7 o'clock.
04:59Brought to you by Nationwide for your insurance and financial needs.
05:03Nationwide is on your side.
05:05So, Ross, as far as the Texans go, they're 3-5 now.
05:10They beat the Chargers.
05:11They've got some winnable games coming up here.
05:13But I know you do your power rankings every week.
05:15I know you're looking at the standings all the time.
05:18This AFC, like the top six teams in the AFC right now just aren't losing games.
05:24It's crazy top-heavy right now, and obviously seven teams are going to get in.
05:28But as you look at this for the Texans here and this chase that they're on right now,
05:32they have the same record they did this time last year, 3-5,
05:35and they went on a tear last year.
05:36What exactly in this AFC right now are the Texans up against to try to get back into this thing?
05:43Terrific question.
05:44I think they've got to get to 11.
05:48I think they've got to get to 11 wins.
05:50So, at this point, they've got to go 6-1, you know, or what would that be now?
05:588-1.
05:598-1, yeah.
06:00Yeah, hashtag math.
06:038-1 in their last nine games to feel really good about making the playoffs.
06:10They didn't give themselves a whole lot of margin for error.
06:15Certainly that Giants game was the one of them that will really come back to haunt them.
06:21But, you know, they might get in with 10 wins.
06:24I think they'll almost certainly get in with 11 wins.
06:28One of these teams that's above them, you know, will start to drop off.
06:33I just don't know who that is, you know?
06:36Oh, I mean, that's what makes it so hard.
06:39And I'm with you.
06:40I think if they get to 11, they can at least get in on that seventh spot, you know, with
06:47whoever, you know, the Patriots, the Browns, whatever.
06:51You know, Ross, we haven't really dug in on this Browns game yet that the Texans will be facing this
06:57week.
06:57And reportedly it's going to be Deshaun Watson, although Todd Monken hasn't made that official yet.
07:03What's the best version of this Browns team?
07:05Who, by the way, is five and four.
07:08It feels like the weirdest year where there's multiple winning teams this deep in the season that people are saying,
07:13nah, nah, they're not.
07:14They're not a five and four football team.
07:16What's the best version of the Browns team that the Texans might see on Sunday?
07:23Well, earlier in the year, they were playing really well on defense.
07:27They play the most single high, the most man coverage on the outside.
07:32You know, their front seven with Swessinger and Mason Graham, they were really playing well.
07:40More recently, they've been giving up too many points, too much on the ground.
07:46You know, their run defense is what's letting them down, interestingly, in these last couple games.
07:51So maybe the Texans can get their run game going.
07:55Offensively, they really haven't been great all year.
07:58What they do have, though, is Deshaun Watson's been extremely clutch.
08:05You know, they've kind of messed around most of the game.
08:08And then it's like 13-13 and Deshaun Watson goes down.
08:12They kick the game-winning field goal or they kick the touchdown.
08:16Now, they do have some young guys, Fannin and Concepcion and Boston.
08:22I mean, the best version would be Watson playing one of his best games of the year.
08:27But that hasn't really been the Browns' M.O. this year.
08:31Yeah, that's – and like as Seth pointed out, like they're –
08:36Munkin's being kind of coy about this whole quarterback thing right now with the Browns.
08:43So, yeah, we'll see.
08:44Yeah, I guess, yeah, that's where – I mean, we just assume –
08:47yeah, we'd rather face Shadur Sanders than Deshaun Watson.
08:50Is there any argument that we'd actually –
08:51that the Texans should actually prefer to see Deshaun Watson?
08:58Storylines!
08:59Well, I thought Shadur played pretty well Sunday.
09:02Yeah.
09:02I mean, Shadur did a lot of positive things.
09:05So, yeah, I mean, that would be the argument,
09:07would be if you feel like Shadur would be even better in start number two
09:13than he was in start number one.
09:15The thing is, is Shadur does not really have Watson's mobility,
09:19and that's been a big factor for Watson this year.
09:23It feels like this is the best he's really moved around in years.
09:31When you watch Deshaun Watson, he really is doing a terrific job extending plays,
09:38especially late in those games when he needs to.
09:40What do you think happens with him after this year, Ross?
09:42And see, all the scuttlebutt up in Cleveland is like, yeah, he's had a nice year,
09:46but he's probably done in Cleveland after this year.
09:48The chances are they're going to try to find a young quarterback, I would guess.
09:52Do you think Deshaun Watson is one of 32 starting quarterbacks
09:56somewhere in the NFL next year?
10:00Probably not.
10:02I think he's probably that, if anything, maybe Sean has like a bridge,
10:07you know, as like that next guy.
10:10I just don't think anyone's going to look at him and say,
10:15that's who we want to be our guy.
10:17That's who we want to be our franchise quarterback or our starting quarterback.
10:23I think he would be in the low-end starter, high-end backup like Fitzpatrickville,
10:29you know, where you're really happy to have him as a backup
10:34and you'd really prefer someone better as a starter.
10:37Yeah.
10:39As far as the Texans go at quarterback, Ross, when you say, you know,
10:42you're talking about, hey, they may be able to run the football this weekend.
10:44I don't know if you know this, but down here we're hoping that the Texans
10:47don't play any teams that tempt Nick Caley to go back to trying to run the football
10:52because we usually want C.J. Stroud to throw it like 45 times every week
10:55because he's so good right now.
10:57Man, I mean, some of those throws, the throw down the sideline, the tank Dell,
11:03I mean, goodness gracious, the one, the booty,
11:08C.J. is playing at a very, very high level.
11:11It really is such a shame.
11:14You know, it's like I did the Panthers-Broncos game Sunday
11:17and Bryce Young played awesome and they lost.
11:22You know, you have to win when your quarterback plays well.
11:26This is not like some breaking news here,
11:30but that's kind of the shame of the Texans right now
11:33is that Stroud is playing at this high of a level
11:36and yet they are 3-5.
11:39You know, you would have thought if they could have just,
11:41if they could ever just get them together at the same time.
11:43It's like the first year, Stroud was awesome, defense wasn't that great.
11:48Next two years, defense pretty awesome, Stroud not.
11:51Now this year, Stroud's awesome, defense not so much.
11:55Like, why are they taking turns?
11:57My game plan, if I ran the Texans,
11:59would be to have the offense and defense both play good at the same time.
12:03Yeah, that's a really good point.
12:05Write that down.
12:07Oh, yeah, I did.
12:08I just jotted it down.
12:09I mean, we're going to send it over to Casario after the show, Ross.
12:11Look, I mean, one of the things, because the offense,
12:14the one big thing is that they still can't run the ball,
12:17which is kind of an issue.
12:18If the Texans are able to somehow lift them up into the playoff conversation,
12:21that's still an issue.
12:23Jonathan Taylor, I'm guessing,
12:25has no chance at all of being traded within the division.
12:27Right now the favorites for his next team are the Patriots, the Giants,
12:33the Vikings, the Broncos, and the Packers.
12:36Which of those teams do you think would be most interesting
12:40or might most be likely to make the move?
12:46That's a really good question.
12:48You know, because all of them, Patriots, Travion, Henderson,
12:52have got a health issue going, and now so does Ramondre Stevenson.
12:58The Packers, Jacob, just went on IR with a finger.
13:02I mean, I could make an argument for all of them.
13:04It's a terrific question.
13:08I would say one of those two, actually.
13:11Patriots or Packers seems most likely to me.
13:14I know people in Denver are really wanting them to do it for Jonathan Taylor,
13:19but they still have some young guys with Jonah Coleman, R.J. Harvey.
13:24I don't know that they want to give up that much for Taylor.
13:28It's a terrific question.
13:30I don't have a great answer for you.
13:32I guess I'll go with the teams that are losing running backs
13:36for an extended period in New England and Green Bay.
13:40I would add with the Green Bay one, Ross,
13:42you've got Jordan Love playing at a super high level right now,
13:44and they get Micah Parsons back.
13:46And you might need him, Jonathan Taylor, just to keep your head above water.
13:49That division is so good.
13:51That whole division is amazing right now.
13:53Well, and also, it feels like with these new allegations, I don't know.
13:59I feel like there is some risk of Josh Jacobs being suspended or something again, too,
14:06which maybe they would take into account.
14:08Well, and I think we bring up the Packers a fair amount just because they've got a quarterback
14:13who's playing really well, but they can't run the ball at all.
14:16It's just like the Texans, but the Packers are in a different playoff conversation.
14:19I mean, that's the one that just feels like a slam dunk.
14:23All right, this is the one thing you're missing.
14:25You finally have a really good defense in Green Bay.
14:27Your quarterback is playing the way you want your quarterback to play,
14:31and it's just if they were going to be the Jaguars and go all in,
14:34I know the Packers don't operate that way, but, man, this would be the year to do it.
14:40It's a really good point, but you're right.
14:43They don't.
14:44The Packers have a commitment to sustained success.
14:48Yes, the Packers and the Jaguars are like totally different philosophies.
14:53The Jags are like, YOLO, man, let's go for it.
14:58And the Packers are like, you know what?
15:01If we're just good every year, maybe one of these years we'll get to the Super Bowl again.
15:07The Jaguars have an owner who's a billionaire with a waxed mustache,
15:11where the Packers have an owner that gets up at 5 a.m. to go work at a normal job.
15:17That's right.
15:18Yeah, a million of them.
15:19Just two different worlds.
15:20That's right.
15:20That's right.
15:21Ross Tucker is our Odyssey NFL insider.
15:23Ross, if ChatGPT is correct here, it's telling me that you're on your way to Vegas this weekend.
15:28Is that accurate?
15:30Vegas, baby.
15:31Yeah.
15:31Vegas, Seahawks at the Raiders.
15:35I'm bringing, you know, I don't think I've ever used this word before, but I'm going to use it.
15:38I'm bringing the wifey.
15:40I've never been a wifey.
15:41No, I'm not either.
15:43I hate wifey.
15:44Hate it.
15:45Yeah, I don't know why.
15:46I don't know why.
15:47But I feel like when you say you're bringing, like, I'm bringing my wife.
15:51But for some reason, when I started the sentence with bringing, wifey just popped up.
15:55So at least we got it out there in public rec that I've used it once.
15:58It's better than the old, if you had said the old ball and chain, like, that's not popular anymore.
16:03Yeah.
16:04Especially now that you're sitting at your lofty perch.
16:06I can't imagine her saying, I'm bringing my husband-y.
16:09You know, like, something doesn't, isn't quite right there.
16:14But, yeah, listen, I love Vegas.
16:17Friday night, I'm going to go check out the Eagles at the Sphere, not the football team, the band.
16:22Have you been to the Sphere before, Ross?
16:24No, that's why I'm going.
16:25I'm not like some huge Eagles guy, but I got to hear.
16:28First of all, I like a lot of their songs.
16:30Technically, I got to go to the Sphere.
16:32And I'm bringing the wifey.
16:34Yeah, Amy and I, that was Amy's big Christmas present last year.
16:37We went to, on her spring break, she's a teacher.
16:40On her spring break, we went to the Sphere.
16:42And she loves The Wizard of Oz.
16:43It's her favorite movie.
16:44We saw The Wizard of Oz in the Sphere.
16:46And it's amazing.
16:47Even if you don't like The Wizard of Oz, they got, like, the tornado scene.
16:50There's, like, tornado-level wind blowing through there and leaves.
16:55The scene where it snows, there's actual snow falling from the ceiling.
16:58It's like a total, like, 4D experiential thing.
17:01It's really, and I've heard, I haven't seen a concert in there, but I've heard it's incredible.
17:05You're going to love it.
17:07Wow.
17:08Yeah.
17:08That is awesome.
17:09I'm fired up for it.
17:11It should be awesome.
17:11I'm fired up for wifey.
17:13She's got to be thrilled about this.
17:16Yeah, she's excited, for sure.
17:18Nice hotel.
17:19She just asked me when she can get a massage.
17:22I said, well, when I'm meeting with the Raiders, go for it.
17:25So, it'll be great.
17:27That'll be fun.
17:28Well, safe travels, Ross, and we look forward to catching up with you next week.
17:32Keep up the great work, man.
17:33We'll talk soon.
17:34Sounds great.
17:34See you guys.
17:35All right, see you, Ross Tucker, joining us on the Texas Mattress Makers Hotline.
17:38Here's our Odyssey NFL Insider.
17:40Insider Calls, brought to you by Nationwide for your insurance and financial needs.
17:44Nationwide is on your side.