Here’s everything Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said in Tuesday’s press conference following the team’s 30-6 wild-card round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, including an update on Pro Bowl wideout Nico Collins, his thoughts on Mike Tomlin stepping down and an early look at New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
Question: On WR Nico Collins status
DeMeco Ryans: “We’ll see how the week goes for Nico. But as of right now, he’s in the concussion protocol.”
Q: On WR Christian Kirk’s performance
Ryans: “I was really happy for Christian, knowing the type of guy that he is. He’s one of the best guys in our locker room and he works extremely hard throughout the week. He’s been grinding all season to be an impact player for us. I’m happy it worked out for him in one of our biggest game of the year. It worked out where he stepped up and he made some critical plays for us to create some explosive passes. I’m happy for him. He deserved that moment. He’s worked really hard for it. There couldn’t be a better guy to get that moment. He truly deserves it.”
Q: On what was working for the offensive line in the run game and pass game
Ryans: “The offensive line, they continue to stay after it. We sustain blocks. We’re on guys long enough for our [running] backs to get through the hole, get through some creases there and make some nice runs. Playing offensive line is tough. It’s grimy, it’s not always pretty. Those guys, they did a really nice job of playing physical all game. Whether it was in the running game or also in the passing game, just about protecting. I thought the guys grinded it out versus the physical football team.”
Q: On if there are challenges of turning the page quickly after an emotional win the night before
Ryans: “We turn the page. Everybody understands what that moment was. We celebrated that moment that evening. It was a really great performance by our team. We celebrate that because it was worthy to celebrate. But you don’t dwell on it. No matter how you get it done, you get it done in the postseason. Finish with the win, that’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter how it looks. I’m proud of our guys for finishing with the win. Now, we’re blessed with another opportunity to come to work this week to go try to get another one.”
Q: On what led to the offense’s success on third down against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Ryans: “It starts that we’re able to do many different things with different play types, formation types. I think [Offensive Coordinator Nick] Caley did a really nice job of calling it, mixing it up on third down. That’s really the key. We executed what was called very well to allow us to stay on the field. That’s what it’s all about. Those guys did a great job calling the plays and our players did a great job of executing.”
Q: On having players contribute who weren’t part of the team for the entire season
Ryans: “When you get guys late in the season, it’s really tough for guys to, first off, from an emotional standpoint. A guy being released or whatever happened at the prior club, it’s difficult for a young man to go through that process, go through waivers, not knowing where your next opportunity [is], where you’ll be working, where you’re living. It’s stressful on players. To get a guy in and to try to settle him down from the stressful position that he’s in and try to get him to learn a new scheme, learn new techniques and things that we’re trying to teach him, it doesn’t happen overnight. For guys to come on to the team late and to be able to fit into what we’re doing here, fit in with the position room, fit in with the team, get a great relationship with the coaches that you’re working with, it takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of work behind the scenes, a lot of extra meeting time, a lot of early morning meetings, a lot of staying late with guys. You got the right guys who are dedicated to trying to figure it out, knowing that it’s not going always go smoothly when you initially started. But guys stay with it and our two defensive tackles [DT Naquan Jones and DT Leki Fotu] have definitely shown that. They put in the work. Coach Rod [Wright] and Coach Frank [Okam] have done a great job of putting in extra time with those guys and they continue to get better with the techniques and the things that we’ve asked them to do. You saw the fruits of their labor show up in this game. They played the best game they played while they’ve been with us, and they both made impactful plays for us.”
Q: What was working for the rushing attack on Monday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Ryans: “What worked in the running game was our mindset from a physicality standpoint from our offensive line, our tight ends, and being able to sustain our blocks. That’s what worked for us. The backs played physically; they ran the ball really well, and they protected the ball well. That’s what a good running game is like. You get a few yards here, a few yards there and then you pop a couple of long ones as we did. That’s what it looks like, and our guys continued to stay with it, [Nick] Caley stayed with it. We were able to get over 30 rushing attempts. When you stay with the run, you’re trying to wear a team down when you run the ball that much and I felt like we were able to do that.”
Q: On the opportunity to advance to the AFC Championship with a win on Sunday
Ryans: “I’m really excited to be leading this team in this moment, to have us in this position for a third year. It’s a blessing, it’s an honor. I don’t take it lightly to be one of the final four teams left in the AFC. It’s where you want to be, it’s the position you want to be in if you’re a competitor and I’m a true competitor. I love competing, love where we are, love the mindset of our team and love the opportunity we have before us. It is about one week at a time. I know you don’t want to hear it, but it’s still one week at a time. The [New England] Patriots are a really good team. Coach [Mike] Vrabel came in and really flipped the culture of that team. His impact is shown on how these guys play. They’re physical, they’re a smart team, mimics how he played the game. It’ll be a really, really tough opponent, but we’re excited for the matchup and we’re just thankful for this opportunity.”
Q: On what is different about him as a coach and what he’s learned from previous experiences about coaching in the postseason
Ryans: “What I think I learned is continue to remain calm in the moment. I think early on, being a coordinator in the playoffs, honestly, you feel the pressure, you feel the nerves in a moment. You want to make sure you’re doing everything possible to put the team in the best position and it weighs on you a little bit. But now, being in this moment now for the past five years, I’m comfortable in the moment. I understand how big the moment is, but I also don’t make it too big. Be who I am. Continue to prepare as best as I can possibly prepare and give my team everything that I have. I pour everything I have into my team to make sure they’re ready to go mentally and physically. There are a lot of firsts here to be made in Houston. I want our guys to really be a part of history. That’s something special that a lot of teams don’t get to do. A lot of teams already have a history. For here, being in Houston, understanding the history that we can make as an organization. It’s something that gives you a little bit more juice to go for it because you want to be the first to do a lot of things here.”
Q: On if he sees some of the baseball background in S Calen Bullock
Ryans: “Calen was the beneficiary of Azeez [Al-Shaair] playing really great coverage. Sometimes the ball just has to bounce your way. Calen was in the right place at the right time. Azeez played outstanding coverage there. Sometimes, when playing baseball, you have to be able to scoop it. He scooped it right at the right time. But a more impressive return by him. I really love that play, how all of our guys really turned, found work, they blocked and we were able to get into the end zone.”
Q: On how the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive front attacked the offense on Monday night
Ryans: “We knew going into the game, the Steelers had a really good front. [We] spoke about that all week, saw it on film all week. They’re one of the best fronts in the league. We knew we had to control their front. They presented us with some pressure looks that C.J. has handled well at times before. You’re always growing, you’re always learning from things that happen. He’ll continue to learn from it and bounce back. I thought he bounced back well in the game and still made some huge plays to Christian Kirk. You can’t talk about Christian Kirk without talking about C.J. and his ability to deliver the football to him.”
Q: On his thoughts of former Pittsburgh Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin stepping down
Ryans: “I saw the news before I stepped in here and I was kind of shocked by the news. You see a guy who’s had a ton of success and done it at the highest level for 19 seasons, not to have a losing record. Part of me is happy that he was able to step away on his own terms. It’s a tough job, it’s one of the toughest jobs. I think it’s one of the toughest jobs because everybody else wants to tell you how to do the job and how it should be done. Everybody has all the answers, but no one truly knows all the work, all the sacrifice that goes in, all of the sleepless nights, all of the long hours you put in, all of the time away from family. It’s a lot that goes into it and everybody just jumps on, ‘This guy should be fired. He should be fired. Get him out, get him out.’ I think the Steelers were the beneficiary of having a really great coach for 19 years and you see that sustained success when you’re able to stick with a guy, you truly believe in a guy that’s a great leader of an organization. He’s done it at a high level, won the Super Bowl, done it with the utmost class and respect. There’s not another coach that I respect more than Mike Tomlin. He’s always done it the right way. I’m thankful that he was able to step down on his terms.”
Q: On how the team can have continued success in the run game
Ryans: “When it comes to the run game, if we want to have success, it’s going to be us. It’s about having that desire and that will to truly stay on your blocks, to truly trust your technique, trust the fundamentals, things you worked all offseason, all training camp, all those things you work. You got to put it on display. Like you mentioned, the Patriots have a really good run defense. It’s never easy running the football. That’s what I like about it because it’s not easy, it’s hard. A lot of people shy away from doing hard things. But if you want to have success in the playoffs, I feel like you have to be able to control the line of scrimmage and run the football really well. That’s what we have to do versus a really good run defense. That’s what it is at this time of year. You got two good teams going at it and that’s how it should be.”
Q: On the process of rookies earning his trust
Ryans: “The rookies don’t have to get the trust of DeMeco; they have to get the trust of their teammates. I want guys who go out, and they show their teammates that they’re capable of handling their assignment, handling their jobs like pros. It really doesn’t matter how you get to our team, being a rookie, where you were drafted, if you were undrafted, it really doesn’t matter. We want guys who can go out and produce and guys we can count on. We can count on you when you show us on the practice field that you’re consistent in doing what you’re supposed to do. You’re consistent in your preparation, in the meetings you’re locked in. When you show your teammates that you can do that, the teammates see it when we’re working on the practice field. That’s what allows our rookies to get on the field. That’s why we have a lot of rookies who were able to contribute this year. These guys, they don’t say much, and I haven’t heard a lot of these guys talk at all. But they come in, they’re about their business, their heads are down, and they work the right way. We’ve had, throughout our player development program and everything, this theme throughout for our rookies is, ‘How to be a pro.’ What does being a pro look like? We’ve had a lot of our veterans go and talk to our rookies about that. They’ve heard it countless times about what it looks like to be a pro from a lot of different people. We have had a lot of guys who’ve shown up this year and they’re showing that they’re pros already in their first year.”
Q: On where other pass catchers need to step up if WR Nico Collins is unable to play on Sunday
Ryans: “Whoever is open, that’s who needs to show up. We’re going to go through our process again; we just play the play out. C.J., he needs to do a great job of making great decisions with the football. Whoever is open they get the ball, and you go to work. That’s what it’s about. We got a lot of capable guys. It hurts seeing Nico go down the way he went down. You never want to see that, but we know in this league it’s about guys capitalizing on an opportunity to step up. We know in the playoffs, in the history of the playoffs, it can be anybody. A lot of guys have made their names in the playoffs by stepping up and doing their job. By doing your job, you may make some big plays in a game. But our guys are ready for the moment. They understand, you go out, you execute, do your job the right way and you’ll make the plays you need to make.”
Q: On what he’s seen from New England Patriots QB Drake Maye
Ryans: “Last year, when we played him, it was Drake’s first game starting. He can, of course, sling the ball very well. A really good passer. He can hit all three levels of the field. One thing I’m seeing this year is his athleticism and how he’s able to escape the pocket. That’s really shown to be something unique to him, where he can throw the football wherever he wants it. Really great placement, great accuracy, does a great job throwing the deep ball and they’ll try to hit a ton of explosive shots. They’re very aggressive, I would say, in the passing game of trying to take their shots. That’s why they’ve done a great job, and they have a really great high-powered offense this year, because he’s able to hit some of those passes. His ability to escape the pocket is what we have to be aware of this time around.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: What did Texans DeMeco Ryans say following wild-card win vs. Steelers?
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