Week 5 Preview with linebacker DeMarquis Gates
Roughnecks are back home on Saturday
Mar 5, 2020, 4:36 pm
Getty Images
DeMarquis Gates
I sat down with DeMarquis Gates today to get to know him more and preview some of this week's upcoming game. In case you missed it, Gates had the amazing game winning play last week against the Dallas Renegades.
Many players view the XFL as a stepping stone back to the NFL. How has this league helped you?
"It's helped me get exposure, more film and have time to work on my technique, nail down the things I need to work on. Exactly what you said, try to get back into the NFL."
How are you liking the defensive scheme here in Houston?
"It's wonderful. Coach Cottrell and the rest of the defense staff put up a good game plan, a good defensive scheme. We just try to get in and make the plays that we can."
Seattle looked a lot better when they changed QBs. What do you judge them on? The prior three three games or what you saw late against St. Louis?
"You can take all games into account. We feel like they're going to use both quarterbacks. Both QBs have played so we're just going to be ready for both of them."
Preparing to go 5-0 is a big deal. Is there added pressure being the last unbeaten team in the league? Does that add a target?
"It definitely adds a target on our back but I don't think it's any pressure. We just have to take it one day at a time, play by play and come out with the W."
Game at a glance
The Roughnecks' defense had five big turnovers last week. This week they're expected to face both QB's from the Dragons, BJ Daniels and Brandon Silvers. The last time a team switched up QB's on Houston, it caused some confusion. The standards are set high for your Houston Roughnecks this week as they come back home to face the Seattle Dragons Saturday at 1 p.m. Make sure you purchase your tickets here. Let's get TDECU Stadium rockin' to welcome the 4-0 team home!
Most Popular
SportsMap Emails
Are Awesome
Listen Live
Critical levers Astros can pull as health concerns, deadline pressures grow
Jul 10, 2025, 3:46 pm
Jake Meyers is the latest Astro to be rushed back from injury too soon. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.
Houston center fielder Jake Meyers was removed from Wednesday night’s game against Cleveland during pregame warmups because of right calf tightness.
Meyers, who had missed the last two games with a right calf injury, jogged onto the field before the game but soon summoned the training staff, who joined him on the field to tend to him. He remained on the field on one knee as manager Joe Espada joined the group. After a couple minutes, Meyers got up and was helped off the field and to the tunnel in right field by a trainer.
Mauricio Dubón moved from shortstop to center field and Zack Short entered the game to replace Dubón at shortstop.
Meyers is batting .308 with three homers and 21 RBIs this season.
After the game, Meyers met with the media and spoke about the injury. Meyers declined to answer when asked if the latest injury feels worse than the one he sustained Sunday. Wow, that is not a good sign.
Asked if this calf injury feels worse than the one he sustained on Sunday, Jake Meyers looked toward a team spokesman and asked "do I have to answer that?" He did not and then politely ended the interview.
— Chandler Rome (@Chandler_Rome) July 10, 2025
Lack of imaging strikes again!
The Athletic's Chandler Rome reported on Thursday that the Astros didn't do any imaging on Meyers after the initial injury. You can't make this stuff up. This is exactly the kind of thing that has the Astros return-to-play policy under constant scrutiny.
The All-Star break is right around the corner, why take the risk in playing Meyers after missing just two games with calf discomfort? The guy literally fell to the ground running out to his position before the game started. The people that make these risk vs. reward assessments clearly are making some serious mistakes.
The question remains: will the Astros finally do something about it?