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Let's discuss the positives for each Texans coaching finalist
Feb 2, 2022, 11:03 am
How would hiring Gannon impact Lovie Smith? Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images.
The Texans are down to three head coaching finalists in their pursuit of the franchise's next leader on the sidelines. Brian Flores, Jonathan Gannon, and Josh McCown. While these guys may not be who Texans' fans wanted, it's what they've got. The front office is set and secure, now it's time to hire the guy that'll be the face of the team...until they get another big-time star.
We have completed discussions with Jonathan Gannon, Brian Flores and Josh McCown regarding our head coaching position.
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 31, 2022
All three guys have been brought in for a second interview. All three have certain qualities and qualifications that make them viable head coaching candidates. Let's take a look at all three and why I think they just may work:
Brian Flores: Let's ignore the fact that he's suing the league and all 32 owners for discrimination. Big ask, I get it. But if that news hadn't come down, this guy would've been considered the leading candidate by some. He helped guide the Dolphins back to respectability. Fired after going 24-25 in three seasons in Miami, Flores is an apple off the Bill Belichick tree. He's one of the few "successful" apples in that bunch. He's also the only finalist with previous head coaching experience at the NFL level, as well as the only one with ties to the Patriots (same cloth Nick Caserio and Jack Easterby are cut from). Patriots ties alone make him an interesting prospect, not to mention him bringing the Dolphins back up to par.
Jonathan Gannon: Gannon (39) is a tad younger than Flores (41) and has less experience. The intrigue in him is potential because of his age and because the defense was pretty lively under Lovie Smith, so there wasn't a need for change on that side of the ball. He seems like one of those go-getters who could prove to be the next John Harbaugh: little known coach who comes to prominence as a head coach. I'd be interested in seeing what he does at defensive coordinator (specifically if he keeps Lovie, or decides to go in another direction), and offensive coordinator (this person will most likely have autonomy on that side of the ball due to his defensive background).
Josh McCown: McCown is the most intriguing, head-scratching, and puzzling finalist by far! His only coaching experience is at the high school level. He is the only finalist with NFL playing experience, having recently retired after serving as an emergency quarterback during the 2020 season. 19 years playing quarterback has to account for something. He fits the bill of the guy who can be another puppet, since he doesn't have the skins on the wall other guys have. Or he could be a revelation hire that shatters the myth of hiring guys with little to no coaching experience. His ceiling isn't as high as his floor is low because of his inexperience. He has some relationships in the organization, having spent time here as a backup.
Overall, this pool leaves much left to be desired. They all have their flaws, but they also have their appeal to the brass doing the hiring. Here's to hoping one of them is here for the next decade plus, making posts like this obsolete!
What looked like a minor blip after an emotional series win in Los Angeles has turned into something more concerning for the Houston Astros.
Swept at home by a Guardians team that came in riding a 10-game losing streak, the Astros were left looking exposed. Not exhausted, as injuries, underperformance, and questionable decision-making converged to hand Houston one of its most frustrating series losses of the year.
Depth finally runs dry
It would be easy to point to a “Dodger hangover” as the culprit, the emotional peak of an 18-1 win at Chavez Ravine followed by a mental lull. But that’s not the story here.
Houston’s energy was still evident, especially in the first two games of the series, where the offense scored five or more runs each time. Including those, the Astros had reached that mark in eight of their last 10 games heading into Wednesday’s finale.
But scoring isn’t everything, not when a lineup held together by duct tape and desperation is missing Christian Walker and Jake Meyers and getting critical at-bats from Cooper Hummel, Zack Short, and other journeymen.
The lack of depth finally showed. The Astros, for three days, looked more like a Triple-A squad with Jose Altuve and a couple big-league regulars sprinkled in.
Cracks in the pitching core
And the thing that had been keeping this team afloat, elite pitching, finally buckled.
Hunter Brown and Josh Hader, both dominant all season, finally cracked. Brown gave up six runs in six innings, raising his pristine 1.82 ERA to 2.21. Hader wasn’t spared either, coughing up a game-losing grand slam in extra innings that inflated his ERA from 1.80 to 2.38 in one night.
But the struggles weren’t isolated. Bennett Sousa, Kaleb Ort, and Steven Okert each gave up runs at critical moments. The bullpen’s collective fade could not have come at a worse time for a team already walking a tightrope.
Injury handling under fire
Houston’s injury management is also drawing heat, and rightfully so. Jake Meyers, who had been nursing a calf strain, started Wednesday’s finale. He didn’t even make it through one pitch before aggravating the injury and needing to be helped off the field.
No imaging before playing him. No cautionary rest despite the All-Star break looming. Just a rushed return in a banged-up lineup, and it backfired immediately.
Second-guessing has turned to outright criticism of the Astros’ medical staff, as fans and analysts alike wonder whether these mounting injuries are being made worse by how the club is handling them.
Pressure mounts on Dana Brown
All eyes now turn to Astros GM Dana Brown. The Astros are limping into the break with no clear reinforcements on the immediate horizon. Only Chas McCormick is currently rehabbing in Sugar Land. Everyone else? Still sidelined.
Brown will need to act — and soon.
At a minimum, calling up top prospect Brice Matthews makes sense. He’s been mashing in Triple-A (.283/.400/.476, 10 HR, .876 OPS) and could play second base while Jose Altuve shifts to left field more regularly. With Mauricio Dubón stretched thin between shortstop and center, injecting Matthews’ upside into the infield is a logical step.
*Editor's note: The Astros must be listening, Matthews was called up Thursday afternoon!
The Astros are calling up Brice Matthews, their top prospect on @MLBPipeline
via @brianmctaggart pic.twitter.com/K91cGKkcx6
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) July 10, 2025
There’s also trade chatter, most notably about Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins, but excitement has been tepid. His numbers don’t jump off the page, but compared to who the Astros are fielding now, Mullins would be a clear upgrade and a much-needed big-league presence.
A final test before the break
Before the All-Star reset, Houston gets one last chance to stabilize the ship, and it comes in the form of a rivalry series against the Texas Rangers. The Astros will send their top trio — Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, and Hunter Brown — to the mound for a three-game set that will test their resolve, their health, and perhaps their postseason aspirations.
The Silver Boot is up for grabs. So is momentum. And maybe, clarity on just how far this version of the Astros can go.
There's 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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*ChatGPT assisted.
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