NERDS AROUND TOWN

Nerds Around Town: Ninjas, Justice League and nerding for charity

Nerds Around Town: Ninjas, Justice League and nerding for charity
ART BY JESUS RODRIGUEZ

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!

​​GOOD DEED OF THE DAY

This week Nerd Thug Radio sets up our plans for Extra Life which will be Nov. 2. It's 24 hours of gaming for a good cause. The donations go towards Children's Miracle Network of Hospitals it's being a nerd and being a good person, it's awesome. PLEASE CHECK IT OUT AND DONATE IF YOU CAN.

FALLEN ANGELS

So "Dawn of X" kicked off this week with the release of X-Men #1 and that is very cool and exciting stuff and over the next few weeks five more books will debut. Each of them picking up on interesting concepts and questions that spin out of the idea that now that ALL MUTANTS are citizens of the island nation of Krakoa there will be changes to the world. Such things as X-Force is now the CIA of Krakoa and Marauders is the book about how The X-Men handle the high-seas in this new world (yes, an actual X-Men pirate book!) but my dark horse pick for all of this is Fallen Angels. It comes out a little bit later in this release of titles but it's about three particular outcasts in the world of X-Men, Cable, X-23 (an altered clone of Wolverine) and Kwannon (it's way to complicated to explain but the short of it is that Psylocke used to be a white British chick before she swapped bodies with an Asian ninja assassin, Kwannon, whose mind is now back in the proper body) all three of whom are reminders of dark times in the mythos of the X-Men. This is going to be the surprise hit of the launch.

BIG TIME ART

If you're looking for something fun to read with just big crazy moments, and most importantly mind blowing art, you need to be reading Justice League these days. Francis Manapul is the artist and he's hitting a new gear on his issues of Justice League. Right now they're in the middle of a crazy war against Lex Luthor and there's massive things happening that I can't even begin to explain properly but honestly, check it out. The visuals are nuts, the Justice Society is back, so is Kamandi the last man and just about every character in between.

WHAT'S NEXT?

So with Watchmen about to debut on HBO, and Preacher wrapping up on AMC and Walking Dead spinning out a third show and The Boys season two coming soon and Runaways season three and Cloak and Dagger season two and… I think you get it, the question becomes what's next? I'd like to nominate Else Bloodstone for Disney+ to consider making into a show, think a modern Buffy but British with guns. For the Warner Bros I nominate Manhunter, the early 2000s version, it's awesome female vigilantism at its finest with a hint of court room drama. For Amazon I nominate my own comic book Another Day at the Office. It's a comedy about a cop in a city full of superheroes and it's absolutely worth checking out on IndyPlanet at an affordable $3.49 for the digital and $3.99 plus shipping for a physical copy. These are my picks, not the networks, I doubt they'll happen but if you trust me at all, check these characters out, they're worth spending some time with.

NOT THAT YOU ASKED

Picked up another gig, I am super stoked to be able to keep opening doors with writing and pursuing the opportunities it presents me. Nerd Thug Radio started me on this journey over three years ago and honestly it's been great. Now if I could just trick a beautiful woman into thinking I had my stuff together I'd be next level.

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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Will the Texans' pass protection improve this week? Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images.

Indianapolis (4-3) at Houston (5-2)

Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT, CBS

BetMGM NFL Odds: Texans by 6.

Against the spread: Indianapolis 6-1; Houston 3-3-1.

Series record: Colts lead 33-12-1.

Last meeting: Texans beat Colts 29-27 on Sept. 8, in Indianapolis.

Last week: Colts beat Dolphins 16-10; Texans lost to Packers 24-22.

Colts offense: overall (16), rush (14), pass (17), scoring (18).

Colts defense: overall (29), rush (31), pass (23), scoring (T12).

Texans offense: overall (11), rush (15), pass (10), scoring (14).

Texans defense: overall (2), rush (8), pass (4), scoring (17).

Turnover differential: Colts plus-2, Texans plus-3.

Colts player to watch

RB Jonathan Taylor. Despite the Colts optimism each of the past three weeks, Taylor has continued to sit out. Now, he appears to be close to fully recovered from the sprained ankle that knocked him out late in the victory over Pittsburgh on Sept. 29. It’s unclear how much Taylor will play — or how effective he’ll be — but having Taylor in the backfield will only make QB Anthony Richardson's ability to run more of an option.

Texans player to watch

QB C.J. Stroud. The second-year pro looks to bounce back after throwing for a career-low 86 yards without a TD pass last week. The Texans are focused on improving his protection after he was sacked four times and hit another seven in the loss to Green Bay. He’s been great at home this season, going 3-0 with 936 yards passing.

Key matchup

Houston RB Joe Mixon vs. the Indianapolis run defense. Mixon has had at least 100 yards rushing in each of the three full games he’s played this season. The former Bengal, who is in his first year in Houston, had 115 yards rushing and ran for two touchdowns last week for his 10th career game with at least two rushing scores. Now Mixon, who ran for a season-high 159 yards and a TD in Week 1 against the Colts, will face a run defense which ranks 31st in the NFL by allowing 159.9 yards a game. Indianapolis has allowed at least 185 yards rushing three times this season, capped by 188 yards last week against Miami.

Key injuries

Indy’s injury list finally appears to be shrinking. Richardson (right hip) and Pro Bowl center Ryan Kelly (calf) returned last week against Miami. Taylor is scheduled to return Sunday at Houston and All-Pro DT DeForest Buckner (sprained ankle) returned to practice Wednesday. WRs Michael Pittman Jr. (back), Josh Downs (toe) and Alec Pierce (shoulder) have continued to play through their injuries, leaving one big question mark this weekend — LB E.J. Speed (knee), who missed last week’s game. … Houston LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) and S Jimmie Ward (groin) missed Sunday’s game and could be out again this week after missing practice. ... LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) and CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder) returned to practice after missing time but coach DeMeco Ryans wouldn't say if they'll play Sunday.

Series notes

Houston has won three of the past four matchups, the past two by a total of six points — both in Indy. ... This will be the third meeting between these franchises in an eight-game stretch. ... Stroud and Richardson were selected two picks apart in the 2023 NFL draft and they developed a friendship while preparing for the draft. But they’ve only played against one another twice. Richardson won the first meeting in Week 2 of 2023, rushing for two scores in Houston before leaving with a concussion. Stroud won the rematch in September.

Stats and stuff

Sunday will mark the second matchup this season between Colts DBs coach Ron Milus and his son, Texas defensive assistant Ryan Milus. ... The Colts have won four of their past five since starting the season 0-2. ... Indy is 4-9-1 in division games since the start of the 2022 season. But the Colts can even the season series with Houston and pull into a tie for the AFC South lead with a victory. ... Indy’s 31 plays of 20 or more yards this season are the fourth most in the NFL this season. ... Pittman needs 2 yards receiving to reach 4,000 in his five-year career. ... Taylor needs 78 total yards to pass Hall of Famer Lenny Moore (6,040 yards) for No. 4 in franchise history. ... Richardson and 39-year-old Joe Flacco have thrown a total of 10 TD passes this season. ... Pierce leads the NFL with an average of 25.5 yards per catch and has a league-high five receptions of 40 or more yards. ... Colts DE Laiatu Latu’s two sacks are tied with Jonah Elliss of Denver for the most among NFL rookies. ... LB Zaire Franklin leads the NFL in tackles with 78. ... CB Jaylon Jones is one of seven players to pick off two passes in a game this season. His eight passes defensed are also tied for No. 5 in the league. … The Texans have forced seven turnovers combined in their past two games. … Houston WR Stefon Diggs has had at least 65 yards receiving in four of his past five games. He has two TD receptions in each of his past two games against the Colts. … WR Tank Dell, who didn’t have a catch last week, had seven receptions for 72 yards a touchdown in the previous game against the Colts in Houston. … DE Danielle Hunter has had a sack in two straight games. … DE Will Anderson has had at least one tackle for loss in three straight games and at least one sack in his past two. He is tied for sixth in the NFL with 6½ sacks this season. … DT Tim Settle had two tackles for losses and a sack last week. … LB Neville Hewitt led the team with a season-high nine tackles last week and had an interception. … S Calen Bullock is tied for first among rookie in the league with three interceptions. He had an interception in the first meeting with Indianapolis. … CB Derek Stingley had six tackles, including one for a loss and defended a pass last week. ... LB Devin White, a Pro Bowler in 2021 with Tampa Bay, signed with Houston on Wednesday.

Fantasy tip

Mixon should be a good pickup this week against Indy’s struggling run defense after he’s combined for 217 yards rushing with three rushing TDs and one touchdown reception in the two games since returning from injury.

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