DeMeco Ryans Remains Steady as Texans Face Test vs Patriots

Tuning into what Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans says always leaves you with the firm belief that he treats every game in the exact same studious manner.

Irrespective of the magnitude of this playoff trip to the notorious New England Patriots home field in Foxboro, Ryans remains convinced that it's his team that will set the agenda regardless.

“For me at this time of year, however, you have to win games… It changes each week based on who you're playing and what their strengths and how you can minimize the strengths of your opponent," Ryans said before facing the Patriots.

"This week it will probably look different based on what we do schematically. But our style of play, it doesn't change. No matter who we play against, our style of play will never change and that's playing fast, playing physical, swarming. That's who we are. That's what we do. That doesn't change and that travels wherever we have to go.”

DeMeco Ryans Prepared for Texans' Challenge vs. Patriots

Of course, the stoic determination to stick to a clearly defined plan on game days all directly flows down from the mission statement Ryans has preached to this Texans organization.

Three straight playoff seasons since Ryans touched down in H-Town tells a compelling tale– one which points toward just how successful the young head has been at getting his guys to buy into working hard and behaving unselfishly.

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans with cornerback Myles Bryant (25) on the sidelines during the second half against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Furthermore, Ryans has molded this team very much in his own image in order to be tough and incredibly dogged, and it worked particularly well this season when the Texans started out 0-3.

“It's definitely the culture that we've built. It's built on… It's not about one person," Ryans said. "It's about the team and it's about everybody truly caring for each other. That's the relationships that we build in the offseason, the depth of our relationships that we continue to expound upon throughout training camp."

"You hope those relationships help you in times of adversity, like when we have a bad play. It's not a bad game; it's a bad play. If you understand it's just a bad play, there are many more plays to be played in a game, and we just have to handle it that way. You can't let one bad play become another bad play....You can't do it by yourself. You can't win by yourself. We need the help of others. Same for all of us in life. We don't go through life alone. We go through life with the support of others. That's what our team is about."

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Those core qualities to face difficult challenges are going to be needed in abundance when facing the equally well-drilled Patriots outfit, especially in what might prove to be frigid and snowy conditions on the Northeast.

Inclement weather which might only make things easier for this Patriots defense; a group of hunters who will be hopeful that Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud continues to suffer through his worrying bout of the ball handling troubles.

True to form, Ryans hasn't shied away from addressing the bothersome issues with ball security, but he's also stressed that a little attention to detail can recalibrate the machinery and onboard computers of the chief protagonists.

“No changes. We are making sure we're aware of what's going on and making sure we handle it the right way," Ryans explained. "I know C.J. [Stroud] and Jake [Andrews], they'll do a great job of being on that this week and I think no one feels [worse] about that than C.J. I know he'll get that corrected, get it fixed, and he'll be ready to roll this week.”

When all things considered, Ryans and Vrabel were both bound to now be well aware that both Josh Allen and Bo Nix are no longer blocking their advance to Santa Clara. The truth is, heavyweight NFL contests often throw up collateral damage even when a team prevails; and don't Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos know it.

So as it's all shaken down, the road the Super Bowl now entails navigating around, or through Broncos backup passer Jarrett Stidham. Consequently, opportunity is knocking just about loudly as the next two stadiums the Texans will visit, but it's just another game for Coach Ryans.

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