NFL columnist John McClain and linebacker Christian Kirksey are both men in the middle in their own ways. They joined the show for a Thursday night conversation.

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Men in the middle make the show | Texans All Access

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The Texans rolled through Los Angeles, and John Harris has more great plays than one countdown can hold. On this edition of Texans Matchup, Harris runs two Ultimate 11 lists from the win over the Chargers at SoFi Stadium before the Texans head to Cleveland.

The offensive countdown belongs to QB C.J. Stroud and five touchdown passes. WR Xavier Hutchinson opened the scoring with a 17-yard strike and added a one-handed third-down grab. WR Kayshon Boutte scored his first two touchdowns as a Texan, the first on a two-minute drive to close the half, and TE Dalton Schultz kept drives alive all afternoon. Harris argues WR Nico Collins made the greatest catch in Texans history with a one-handed touchdown at the pylon. The top spot goes to WR Tank Dell's 63-yard touchdown on an out-and-up, his first score since December 2024, on a day he topped 100 receiving yards.

On defense, the Texans sacked Justin Herbert eight times to tie a team record. DE Will Anderson Jr., DE Jadeveon Clowney and DT Sheldon Rankins had two sacks each, and DT Logan Hall and DT Naquan Jones also made the list. CB Derek Stingley Jr. picked off his first pass of the year, the 16th of his career, and LB Henry To'oTo'o forced a fumble that S Calen Bullock recovered. K Ka'imi Fairbairn added a 56-yard field goal, his 58th career make from 50 yards or longer. No. 1 is S Jalen Pitre's open-field hit on Tre' Harris, the play Harris believes signaled the return of this defense.

Harris closes with the last Texans-Browns meeting, the 2023 Wild Card game, when a rookie Stroud threw three first-half touchdowns and Steven Nelson and Christian Harris each returned interceptions for scores.

Tank Dell Is Back and Nico Collins Did What? John Harris' Ultimate 11 From the Texans' Win in L.A. | Texans Matchup

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John Harris hosts a Victory Monday edition of Texans All-Access, starting with Andre Ware. With Marc Vandermeer and Harris, Ware explains why a receiver room where any one of five pass catchers can lead the team puts defenses in an impossible spot and makes life easier for QB C.J. Stroud. He also breaks down what a full 60-minute defensive effort looked like and gives his read on Justin Herbert's struggles. That conversation includes CB Derek Stingley Jr.'s story about reading Mike McDaniel's tendencies. Ware also gets emotional about fellow Cougar WR Tank Dell's 63-yard touchdown and previews a chilly trip to Cleveland.

N.D. Kalu follows, fresh off being named a 2026 Gridiron Legend by the Kinder's Texas Bowl. He makes the case for DT Sheldon Rankins as one of the NFL's most underrated players and tells what it's like for a veteran pass rusher to face a rookie, including his own battle with Joe Thomas. He also explains why Stroud's ball placement had him rewinding plays. Kalu shares the Terrell Owens comeback story that Tank Dell reminds him of, and says why a possible Stroud vs. Deshaun Watson matchup is a storyline worth leaning into.

Harris closes by going around the league with Jacksonville's three Monday trades for S Jessie Bates III, DT Davon Godchaux and DT Jordan Davis, ahead of the Jaguars' Dec. 20 visit to Reliant Stadium.

Andre Ware & N.D. Kalu: Can Anyone Cover All These Texans Receivers?

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Head coach DeMeco Ryans joins The DeMeco Ryans Show presented by Amegy Bank after a complete, all-three-phases win over the Chargers in Los Angeles. Ryans explains how QB C.J. Stroud's film study and summer workouts with his receivers are paying off, now that WR Tank Dell, WR Kayshon Boutte, WR Nico Collins, WR Xavier Hutchinson and TE Dalton Schultz can each win one-on-ones. He relives the sideline eruption after Dell's 63-yard touchdown in his second game back. He also breaks down S Jalen Pitre's third-down hit and an eight-sack day led by DE Will Anderson Jr., DT Sheldon Rankins and DE Jadeveon Clowney, and explains why Hutchinson is the team's ultimate glue guy.

Also in this episode: Ryans' postgame locker room speech, Stroud on the postgame show with Sean Pendergast and Clint Stoerner, Boutte with John Harris after his 125-yard, two-touchdown day, and Ryans' first look at a young Browns team ahead of Sunday's noon kickoff in Cleveland.

DeMeco Ryans on C.J. Stroud's 5-TD Day: "Everybody Eats"

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Men in the middle make the show | Texans All Access

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