DeMeco Ryans Gets Candid on Texans’ Defense Before Seahawks Game

Making up the current three-game deficit on the AFC South-leading Indianapolis Colts is bound to be running around Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans’ mind.

While it's still early enough into the season to claw things back, the 0-3 hole the Texans have put themselves in is going to need some shifting all the same. Heavy lifting that Ryans knows will be essential, but they're going to set about the mission with levels of stealth and composure far outweighing any degree of panic.

“That doesn't creep into my mind at all about where the other AFC teams are, what their record is. It's still early in the season. A lot of teams had a lot of really good starts to the season," Ryans insisted. "But we all know, and it’s our focus, it's all about how you finish the season.”

Not blinking when faced by adversity has formed the very core upon which Ryans has built the current two-game revival that breathed some life back into the Texans’ young season.

Offensive struggles are very much still being actively micromanaged as they move forward. But keeping faith with his talented Texans defense has given Ryans the vital glue with which to hold everything together.

“Our defense has done a really nice job because of the players and the work that they put in," Ryans declared. "We have outstanding players, outstanding men, not just players who go out. But they work the right way. Every single week, every single day in practice, they work together. When they play together, it's a tough unit to beat.”

Sep 28, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks up during the fourth quarter against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

“We're on it mentally, we're not making mistakes. We make people have to make plays to beat us. We know that'll be the challenge this week… I'm really proud of where our guys are. It's been a great start, but you have to keep working. You have to keep plowing because we know teams are going give us their best shot.”

Ryans’ entire attitude to football makes it pretty easy to play for him; largely because he keeps the procedures and routines as simple as he possibly can.

That approach particularly appeals to the defensive players who keep on playing hard and executing just like they've been coached up by Ryans to do when the lights go on.

“For me, the defense, we haven't changed what we've done. Again, the defense is a credit to the players. It’s nothing to do with coaches and what we do as coaches," Ryans insisted.

"It's all about the players and what they're doing on the field. That's why the defense is good. It's not a magical answer that's out there. Our guys have played well, starting with our front. Our defensive line has played well, specifically versus the run game… If we continue to improve the things we need to improve, that's tackling, stopping the run, that's attacking the football. We do those things and that's what the players have done. That's why we play a good ball on defense.”

As if facing the Seattle Seahawks on enemy turf isn't a hard enough challenge, Ryans is guarding against the play-action looks that their offensive coordinator, Klint Kubiak, likes to utilize.

Playing his own chess game with Kubiak will offer up a pretty compelling subplot for proceedings this weekend, but Ryans is determined that his own group doesn't get caught by surprise.

“For Seattle, they're good at the play-action pass game because [Klint] Kubiak has done a good job wherever he's been as a play call," Ryans said. "He's done a really good job of establishing the outside zone scheme. With the outside zone scheme comes the keepers off of the outside zone action. So, he's done a really good job of marrying both run game and passing game, meaning they both look very similar."

How openly frank and candid Ryans has been about the manner in which the Texans are going to continue mounting the current revival has certainly been refreshing.

Winning up on the Pacific-Northwest would be a major step forward in terms of sheer competitive relevance for the Texans, but would also represent a huge potential statement that could really turbo boost their levels of overall confidence.

Even so, chasing the Colts down is still going to take plenty of time and lots of patience.

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