THE PALLILOG
Texans path to securing top pick in draft is becoming clear
Dec 17, 2021, 10:15 am
The Texans need to keep losing and get some help from Detroit. Composite image by Jack Brame.
Why drafting outside the Top 5 isn't necessarily a bad thing for Texans
What a classic on tap Sunday in Jacksonville. If the tap is pouring bilge water. It's the 2-11 Texans at the 2-11 Jaguars in a matchup that as a start to finish proposition shouldn't even keep the attention of family and close friends. There is basically nothing interesting about the Texans, though Cameron Johnston continues to be the leading Pro Bowl vote getter among AFC punters! We are approaching the best part of this Texans' season: merciful conclusion. Not exactly a silver lining but at least here almost all of us knew the Texans had no chance to achieve even mediocrity this year. What is the prevailing sentiment in Jacksonville? Only the delusional had visions of Jags' glory in 2021, but at least there was optimism and curiosity around the hire of Head Coach Urban Meyer and the drafting of presumed franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Well, Lawrence is still there...
Jaguars owner Shad Khan firing Meyer in the early hours of Thursday morning and saying he'd have no further comment and face no questions until after the regular season is just one more page in an ownership book full of embarrassment. Meyer was his own undoing through a blend of megalomaniacal, stupid, and mere in over his head behavior. The Jaguars have clinched their 10th double digit defeats season in the last 11, nine of the ten have had at least 11 Ls. In what has to be considered a bizarre anomaly the 2017 Jaguars went 10-6, reached the AFC Championship Game, and led at New England by 10 points in the fourth quarter before the Patriots rallied to win. Thiiiiiis close to a Super Bowl that season, straight garbage for the Jags the six prior and now four since.
Yet, Lawrence's presence (for those who believe in him) makes Jacksonville an attractive job beyond the fact it's one of only 32 head coaching gigs. He has little quality around him but Lawrence's rookie campaign has been lousy. He is 28th in QBR (ESPN's better than the NFL's standard quarterback rating) among this season's 32 primary starting signal callers. The four worse are Jared Goff, Davis Mills, Justin Fields, and Zach Wilson. All rookies except for Goff. Growing pains.
While there is no quarterback considered worthy of selection in the top few picks of this coming spring's NFL Draft, the Texans are still better off having as high a pick as possible. If the Texans can lose Sunday and drop the ensuing three games (definitely doable!) all they need is for Goff and the Detroit Lions to stumble into one more victory and the Texans get the first pick. The first pick in every round.
Rockets falling back to Earth
The Rockets' back-to-back not close losses to the Cavaliers and Knicks have their record at 9-20. They missed out on two chances to improve their winning percentage above .333 for the first time since they were 1-1. Saturday night they play at even worse Detroit. The Pistons have lost 13 straight and are 4-23. The Rockets need to be careful to not mix in too many victories. They currently have only the fifth worst record in the NBA. Keep that up and they'll be draft lottery longshots to wind up with a top three pick in a draft which at this point has three players considered the top tier of prospects. They are all freshmen: 6'10" Duke forward Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga seven foot 194 pounder Chet Holmgren, and the rising stock of the bunch 6'10" Auburn forward Jabari Smith.
Good news for the Aggies and Longhorns
If Jimbo Fisher never gets Texas A&M to the College Football Playoff (while it's four teams, the semifinals once the field inevitably expands) he will not have been worth his contract. To be determined how it plays out on the field, but Jimbo is recruiting at the necessary level as the Aggies won the mythical National Signing Day championship this week. Steve Sarkisian's UT class came in number five. Maybe the Longhorns can make a bowl next season!
Buzzer Beaters
1. The bloated college football bowl season is underway Friday with the Bahamas Bowl and the Cure Bowl. Toledo and Middle Tennessee State play on Nassau with Coastal Carolina and Northern Illinois meeting in Orlando. Bet you didn't know the Cure Bowl is in Orlando! Can you name any player to ever play for any of the four schools? It's not a quiz.
2. UH did not get jobbed with the no goaltending at the end of the Alabama game last Saturday. It may have been goaltending (though probably wasn't). It absolutely was not clearly goaltending. Be honest vehemently disagreeing Cougar fan. If the roles were reversed you'd be saying "Inconclusive! No way you can call goaltending!" The nature of fandom. Nonetheless, that was a tremendous college basketball game.
3. Best Will Ferrell movies: Bronze-Old School Silver-Anchorman Gold-Elf
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! 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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