The Houston Texans have been having quite a season thanks to the play of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud, and they hold a 7-5 record, which puts them in the hunt for a playoff spot.

Not too shabby for a team that was 3-13-1 last season and was only expected to do marginally better this year.

They have what would seem to be a very winnable game this Sunday at the New York Jets, and it will mean a reunion between Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans and Jets head man Robert Saleh.

Ryans gave credit to Saleh for helping him get to where he is, per Ari Meirov.

#Texans HC DeMeco Ryans on facing Robert Saleh and the #Jets this week:

"I owe a lot to him. He's probably the reason why I'm standing here before you because of him taking me under his wing and teaching me the ropes."

Saleh coached Ryans as a player in Houston and helped hire… pic.twitter.com/rbMcw4RXZc

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 4, 2023

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Back in the day, Ryans was a standout linebacker in the NFL, and he played much of his career for the Texans back when they were a fledgling expansion franchise.

After his playing career ended, he joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2017 as a defensive quality control coach under head coach Kyle Shanahan.

At the time, Saleh was the Niners’ defensive coordinator, and along with Ryans and Shanahan, he helped the team develop an identity as a hard-hitting defensive-minded squad.

Saleh and Ryans helped the Niners reach the Super Bowl during the 2019 season, and when Saleh left after the 2020 campaign, Ryans succeeded him as defensive coordinator.

Under Ryans, San Francisco’s defense only got better, and even without him this year, it has maintained most, if not all, of its prowess and bite.

While Ryans’ Texans aren’t a defensive juggernaut this season, they have greatly improved in that area compared to last year, and as a result, the outlook in Houston is suddenly very sunny.

The post Texans HC Makes His Thoughts Clear On Facing Robert Saleh appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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The NFL MVP award is almost exclusively an award for players at the quarterback position, which is, without a doubt, the most important position on the field at all times.

Even though the award is given to quarterbacks more often than not, the 2023 NFL season might be a bit different, with no quarterback in the league being the obvious choice to win the regular-season award.

Fortunately, there are two players at other skill positions who are having MVP-caliber seasons, with Christian McCaffrey having an incredible season in his first full year with the San Francisco 49ers and Tyreek Hill putting on a show as the best player for the Miami Dolphins.

Despite the obvious MVP cases for Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa, who are definitely in the running to win the award, there’s no way either player is half as good without McCaffrey and Hill, respectively, helping shoulder the load offensively.

Ross Tucker of CBS Sports makes the case that McCaffrey and Hill should be in the running for MVP, via “The Jim Rome Show.”

.@RossTuckerNFL on why Tyreek Hill and Christian McCaffrey both deserve serious MVP consideration. pic.twitter.com/SBELyLSeaV

— Jim Rome (@jimrome) December 4, 2023

At this point, it remains uncertain if McCaffrey and Hill can do enough to be put ahead of MVP candidates like Purdy, Jalen Hurts, and Dak Prescott with only a few games left in the regular season.

There’s no question that these two superstars at running back and wide receiver should be in the conversation, but only time will tell if they’ll ultimately get serious consideration when the time comes to put it to a vote.

The post NFL Analyst Claims 2 Non-QBs Deserve ‘Serious MVP Consideration’ appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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After the Kansas City Chiefs were rocked by the Green Bay Packers on the road at Lambeau Field, many have started to wonder whether the defending Super Bowl champions are good enough this season to successfully defend their title or even make a deep run in the NFL playoffs.

Even though the team went on to win it all last year after shockingly trading superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins, that trade is starting to come up in conversations as they have been unsuccessful in their attempts to bring in another pass-catcher to complement Travis Kelce in the passing game.

The Chiefs are no longer looked at as that elite team that figures out a way to win every week with few flaws to pick at as the mystique appears to be gone, and this season might end sooner rather than later as a result.

Nick Wright of FOX Sports, who has no problem talking about his love for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, believes the matchup with the Buffalo Bills will be crucial to how the season pans out for Kansas City, via “First Things First.”

"The game against the Bills is the biggest regular season game of the Mahomes era. If they win, they end the Bills & end up the 1-seed. If they lose, all of a sudden the mystique will be broken & the Arrowhead Invitational will officially be canceled."

— @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/RjwtqlRkqs

— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) December 4, 2023

Even though the Chiefs aren’t the same dominant team of old, Kansas City can’t be ruled out as a legitimate Super Bowl title contender, as this team has been arguably the most resilient team in the league ever since Mahomes took over under center for Andy Reid.

The game against the Bills will be telling, as Wright points out, as everything will be on the line for Josh Allen and company, while everyone will be waiting to jump on the Chiefs if they lose a second straight game.

The post Nick Wright Issues A Warning To The Chiefs appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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