Matt & Ross In The Morning

The Houston Texans are two days away from facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs. Quarterback C.J. Stroud and his offense will face cold temperatures, mild winds and a deafening crowd at Arrowhead Stadium in an attempt to knock off the two-time defending Super Bowl champions and earn the franchise's first AFC Championship appearance. "I don't have any reservations about who C.J. is," ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky said. Orlovsky, who played quarterback for 12 seasons in the NFL, acknowledged Stroud's phenomenal play but is concerned about the offense's efficiency against a high-pressure Chiefs' defense. "Every play, you're expecting a blitz, so it doesn't surprise you." Kansas City's defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will look to expose the protection issues of the Texans' offense, but Orlovsky has an idea as to how Texans' offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik can combat the blitz: "perimeter screens."

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" react to breaking news that Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers is declaring for the NFL draft. Ewers went 21-5 as a starter the past two years and brought the Longhorns their only two College Football Playoff appearances. Matt and Ross also:

• discuss MLB free agent rumors that have the Chicago Cubs interested in Alex Bregman
• preview the Texans taking on the Chiefs for an NFL Divisional Round matchup with Sam McDowell, sports columnist for The Kansas City Star
• talk about the Rockets facing the Denver Nuggets on the road with head coach Ime Udoka
• tell people to "Shut Yo Bum Ass Up, Ain't Nobody Got Time" and more.

Jalen Green tied his career high with 42 points in Monday's 120-118 comeback win against the Memphis Grizzlies, but that does not overshadow the performance of Amen Thompson, who recorded an impressive stat line of his own. Thompson garnered 19 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, five blocks and two steals over 41 minutes to mark his 10th double-double of the season. The No. 4 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft is averaging 15.6 points, 11 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.4 steals over his last eight games, seven of which Thompson was in the starting lineup. "A lot of guys are benefiting from him being in the lineup," Rockets head coach Ime Udoka said. Thompson replaced Jabari Smith Jr. as a starter after Smith broke his left hand during shootaround and will be out 4-6 weeks. While Thompson's shooting isn't the highlight of his game, he adds a faster pace, ball-handling skills and strong defense to a starting lineup that has led the Rockets to the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. "He's going to compliment guys on both sides of the ball," Udoka said. Thompson's defensive instincts have taken pressure off his fellow starters, especially with Udoka matching him up against the opponent's more athletic players. "He blocks shots that normally guys can't get to...I'm not surprised by anything he's doing defensively," Udoka said.

The Houston Texans will look to take down the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday in an NFL Divisional Round matchup. The Texans are coming off a 32-12 win over the Los Angeles Chargers during Wild Card weekend, while the Chiefs emerge from a first-round bye following a 15-2 season. Many starters on both sides of the ball for the Chiefs have not played since their Christmas Day matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, giving them plenty of time for recovery. "I think you'll see a different Travis Kelce," Sam McDowell, sports columnist for The Kansas City Star, said. Defensive tackle Chris Jones also benefited from rest and returned to practice as a full participant Tuesday after suffering a strained calf against the Texans in Week 16. However, with multiple weeks off and the Chiefs' 15-game winning streak in games decided by one score or less this season, the Texans hope to complete the upset and advance to the franchise's first AFC Championship. "I definitely think the Chiefs are susceptible," McDowell said. The Texans' offense had one of their best performances of the season in the win over the Chargers but will have to overcome protection issues against Steve Spagnuolo's strong defense to earn a victory in Kansas City. "They haven't performed well against the blitz all season," McDowell said.

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" and Chris Gordy recap the Houston Rockets finishing a come-from-behind win against the Memphis Grizzlies. Jalen Green tied his career high with 42 points to give the Rockets a 120-118 victory, their fourth straight win. Matt, Ross and Chris also:

• discuss the Texans waiving wide receiver Diontae Johnson and placing tight end Cade Stover on the injured reserve list
• react to reports that the Dallas Cowboys are talking with current Colorado coach Deion Sanders to replace Mike McCarthy as head coach
• review the Rams defeating the Vikings in the final game of the NFL Wild Card round
• talk about Jimmy Butler reiterating to team president Pat Riley that he will not sign a new deal with the Miami Heat
• recap Wild Card weekend in "Ross's NFL Rewind"
• give their latest "Gut Feelings" and more.

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" recap the Houston Texans defeating the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in the opening game of NFL Wild Card weekend. The Texans defense forced four interceptions to earn another Wild Card playoff victory. Matt and Ross also:

• preview the Rockets hosting the Chargers
• react to the Texas Longhorns getting eliminated from the College Football Playoff
• discuss the Cowboys parting ways with head coach Mike McCarthy
• play "To Tell The Truth" and more.

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" give a final preview of the Houston Texans hosting the Los Angeles Chargers for the opening matchup of NFL Wild Card weekend. Matt and Ross also:

• recap Notre Dame defeating Penn State to advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship
• preview the Texas Longhorns facing Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl semifinal with Chris Gordy and Sam Khan, senior writer for The Athletic
• discuss the Astros avoiding arbitration
• celebrate Derek Stingley Jr. earning NFL All-Pro honors
• review the 2025 Rodeo Houston lineup
• tell their "Non-Florida Stories" and more on this "Anything Goes Friday."

Matt Thomas and Ross Villarreal of "The Matt Thomas Show with Ross" react to the Astros avoiding arbitration with Jake Meyers, Bryan Abreu, Chas McCormick, Isaac Paredes, Mauricio Dubon and others. Matt and Ross also:

• preview the Rockets facing the Grizzlies in a big Western Conference matchup with head coach Ime Udoka
• discuss the Texans hosting the Chargers to open Wild Card weekend with Chris Hayre, sports anchor and reporter for KCAL News in Los Angeles
• preview the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup between Penn State and Notre Dame
• review the NFL's worst teams in "Ross' Rotten Five"
• retell the feud between Dwight Howard and Shaquille O'Neal in another edition of "MT Theater"
• say "I Just Don't Get It" and more.

In one of the biggest matchups of their season so far, the Rockets will face the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday for the No. 2 spot in the Western Conference. The Rockets currently have a half-game lead on the Grizzlies, and with a win, will earn a full 1.5-game lead and hold a 2-0 record in an important tiebreaker. "It'll be a good test for us," head coach Ime Udoka said. The Rockets are coming off a dominant 135-112 victory over the Washington Wizards to begin their three-game road trip. The starting lineup got off to a slow start, being down 10 points in the first quarter, but Jalen Green scored 22 of his 29 points in the third quarter, putting the game out of reach for the Wizards. "We definitely looked a little sluggish coming out of the gate," Udoka said. Green and Alperen Sengun continue to be the offensive leaders for the Rockets, even with more teams keying in on their play and altering their attacks. Sengun is "one of the best scoring big men in the league... We love the open shots he creates for us," Udoka said. The Rockets have secured strong wins even with injuries affecting their rotation. Jabari Smith Jr. is out with a left metacarpal fracture, and Tari Eason has been dealing with lower left leg soreness that required surgery last March. Eason has missed 10 straight games. "We want to be smart with it," Udoka said. "He's trending in the right direction." With players recovering from injury, Cam Whitmore has stepped up after a slow start to his sophomore season, recording 17 points in 18 minutes against the Wizards. Following his return from a brief assignment to the G League, Whitmore appeared displeased with his role on the team when speaking to the media after a win over the Dallas Mavericks. However, Udoka combats speculation concerning Whitmore's attitude. "People are making a little bit too much out of nothing." Rookie Reed Sheppard was assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Monday and scored 49 points on 17-for-33 shooting in his debut Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Blue. According to Udoka, Sheppard won't stay in the G League for long. "He'll be back with us when we play Memphis at home [on January 13]."

The Texans will host the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday for the opening game of NFL Wild Card weekend. The Chargers are coming into Houston with a three-game winning streak, looking to take down the AFC South Champions, while the Texans are 1-2 in their past three games. The last time the two teams met was in 2022, with the Chargers earning a 34-24 win. Both franchises have undergone major personnel changes, and this will be Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's first meeting against Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has brought the Chargers back to the playoffs in his first year with the team following a national championship victory with the Michigan Wolverines. "The culture that Jim Harbaugh has established has brought life to this fan base," Chris Hayre, sports anchor and reporter for KCAL News in Los Angeles, said. Herbert has performed well under a new offense with different weapons, recording 23 touchdowns and only three interceptions so far this season. However, if the Chargers want to advance to the divisional round over Houston, the key to the game will be the pass rush against a struggling Texans offensive line. "Can the Chargers get after Stroud?"