THE SEC REPORT
LSU wins a big one, A&M loses a big one and Georgia gets upset
Oct 15, 2019, 6:47 am
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Born with a comic book in one hand and a remote control in the other, Cory DLG is the talent of Conroe's very own Nerd Thug Radio and Sports. Check out the podcast replay of the FM radio show at www.nerdthugradio.com!
Last Weekend
LSU won a heavyweight fight against Florida that felt in doubt most of the game with Florida driving to tie before throwing an interception in the end zone during the fourth quarter. Texas A&M bowed to the Crimson Tide as Kyle Field wasn't enough of an advantage to help tilt things back in the Aggies favor. The Bulldogs fell to an underdog, how on earth did South Carolina pull that off?
Stars of Last Weekend
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the running back of the LSU Tigers, had 134 yards on only 13 carries and scored 2 touchdowns. Toted the rock in a big spot, Clyde crushed it in a big game.
John Rhys Plumlee, running back of Ole Miss, for the second week in a row went off, notching 143 yards on 23 carries with 2 touchdowns. Reader may think I'm a fan but honestly, I'm just impressed.
Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback of Alabama, played amazingly in the first big game of the season for Alabama, putting four touchdowns on the board.
Games to watch this weekend
We're in the heart of conference play and there are lots of teams looking to capitalize on the altered landscape after both Georgia and Florida lost. Missouri now controls their own destiny into the SEC championship game and travels to Vanderbilt to play their first game in first place of SEC-East. Florida comes to South Carolina who just managed the upset against Georgia in overtime, can they steal another game? Texas A&M goes to Ole Miss after losing a rough game against the king of the SEC, Alabama.
Players to watch this weekend
Kellen Mond, quarterback of Texas A&M, they've lost enough to no longer be ranked but they still have a season to finish and at 3-3 things could go either way. It's up to Kellen Mond to lead the Aggies to something better than a .500 season.
Kelly Bryant, quarterback of Missouri, they woke up Sunday morning the leaders of their division in the SEC. All they have to do is play good football and keep winning.
Joe Burrow, proved himself last weekend against Florida and even more so in the press conference afterwards where he sounded like a leader and someone who wanted to keep winning football games. This guy is impressing me every week.
Feel free to check out my brand new comic book Another Day at the Office or buy a shirt from Side Hustle Ts where some proceeds help people struggling with cancer or listen to Nerd Thug Radio. Thoughts, complaints, events and comments can be sent to corydlg@gmail.com.
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
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