Everything Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 5 game vs Titans
Everything Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 5 game vs Titans
Cole Thompson, Texans WireThu, October 8, 2026 at 12:20 AM UTC
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Here's everything Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 5's matchup against the Tennessee Titans, including his thoughts on the return of Tank Dell, a change of command in the defensive play-calling and the play of Titans quarterback Cam Ward.
Question: On the Tennessee Titans
DeMeco Ryans: “The Titans team, they’ve battled. They've been in some tight football games, very similar to our group. They've been on the losing side of those matches, but those games have been tight. They play some really good football teams, had some rough weather in a lot of their games. They're a good football team. We're not discrediting that team. Their quarterback is a really good player. Both running backs are really good. Their defense flies around to the football, having known what [Robert] Saleh requires of that group. They’re a really good team, good special teams unit. It'll be a really good match for us.”
Q: On WR Tank Dell returning to practice
Ryans: “It's great having Tank back out there, just getting back into football. It's good to see him running around, getting some routes, getting some plays. We're just looking for him to just continue to acclimate to football, get into team reps and see how he does. We'll see how it progresses. We're not putting a hard deadline or set timeline on it. We'll just see how he feels, but he looked great out there for the first time.”
Q: On DT Kayden McDonald returning to practice
Ryans: “Kayden as well is good, get him back out there, get him some reps, get him back going. We'll see how he continues to progress as well. We had Kayden, we also added Braden [Smith]. All three guys, it's first day back. It's good to see them out there. Now we'll see how that looks for each guy. Each guy's on their own plan, however quickly they progress. We'll see how we can get them back to the roster and so they can help us.”
Q: On S M.J. Stewart
Ryans: “M.J. will be up and ready to go. He's done a great job the past couple weeks of practicing. He's looking really good. He's healthy back to himself. He'll be up ready to go this Sunday.”
Q: On whether he was expecting a certain response from players in practice today
Ryans: “I wasn't expecting a certain reaction from our guys. I just expect them to be pros, show up and let's go put the work in. It was a laser-focused approach. The mindset is there. Our guys are definitely locked in to what we have in front of us.”
Q: On the secondary creating turnovers
Ryans: “When turnovers happen, they come in bunches. I know that's cliche, but I have to say it a lot, but you look at the game this past week, we attacked the throwing arm of the quarterback three times and three times the ball goes up and they come down with the completion. I've never seen that happen. Sometimes the ball has to kind of fall your way and it's coming. We're getting back to our style, our brand of football. If we keep attacking the ball, it'll keep coming. The way our defensive line is getting after the quarterbacks, we're getting the ball out. We just have to find a way to scoop it up, find a way when those balls are in the air, ‘Can we go get it?’ Expect Calen [Bullock] to get back to flying around, playing center field, like you know how to play center field and making big plays. That's who you are, I expect you to get back to being that guy.”
Q: On facing Tennessee Titans DT Jeffery Simmons
Ryans: “Jeffery Simmons is one of the most elite defensive tackles in our league. The way he plays with an edge, the disruption that he causes, the effort that he plays with, down after down. It's fun to watch him just as a football guy. He represents everything you want in a defensive tackle. Not only is he aggressive versus a run, but also in a passing game. He does a good job executing the stunts, winning his one-on-one matchup. To say a lot about him, we have to block him. It's not an easy task because of the effort that he plays with. If we want to run the ball well, if we want to have any successful plays. It starts with, how do we handle number 98?”
Q: On improving the running game
Ryans: “For us to improve in the running game, we have to sustain our blocks better. We start in the right way, we attack in with the right hat placement. But as I implore in our guys, ‘How are you going to train? How are you going to stay attached to your block and finish?’ That'll be the key this week.”
Q: On how much the difference in secondary personnel changes play calling
Ryans: “It doesn't change much. Now, we've been in position to have a few of those plays go our way. It just hasn't happened. But we'll keep mixing things up. We'll keep attacking it the right way. Our guys, they'll play with the right edge. They'll play with the right mentality. The ball will start to fall our way.”
Q: On the mentality of the offensive line
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Ryans: “The mentality is there. We just have to go out and finish in the run game on Sunday. I think everybody's seen our pass protection has been much better over the past couple years. We've done a great job of protecting it. C.J. is throwing the ball well. We just have to clean up some things in the run game.”
Q: On how communication can be fixed
Ryans: “It all starts with me. If there's a lack in communication, I look at myself first. It starts with me and making sure I'm a better communicator. Just to help spark things more, I'm going to take over the play calling for the defense. I'm going to make sure that communication is right. If our guys are saying communication is not right, then that, ultimately, it falls on me. It's on me to get it fixed. It's just no slight against Coach Burke, he's done an outstanding job. Just want to make sure I can streamline communication in the best way possible, so that it isn't the theme when I stand up here the next time I see you guys and talking about communication.”
Q: On whether there is a difference in communication when the defense hears his voice
Ryans: “We'll see. I'm just looking for something to change. Right now, we haven't done great the first four games defensively when it's been on guys to close the game out. It's just, ‘Can we spark a little change?’ Matt has done a good job. We're not overhauling the defense, just trying to spark some change.”
Q: On whether playcalling duties are exciting to him
Ryans: “It's the job, it's always a chess match. I'm excited to see if I can help our team. That's what I'm most excited about is not about me at all. It's about our team and how can I best help the players. That's the reason why I'm doing this, it has nothing to do with me.”
Q: On whether the decision to take over as defensive play caller was a tough decision
Ryans: “It's a tough decision to make. Also, as a head coach, I have a lot of tough decisions I have to make. My decisions are not always a popular opinion. I'm not in this role to please a lot of people's opinion. I have to do what's best for this team and make sure I'm leading in that way. Unfortunately, everybody isn't happy when you make changes, when you make decisions from my chair, everybody isn't happy. That's okay, because I know everything that I try to do and strive to do is for the men in that locker room to give those guys as best chance as possible to go out and win our first football game.”
Q: On LB Azeez Al-Shaair returning to practice
Ryans: “It was great to get Azeez, get back out there working on the side today. We'll see how he continues to improve over the next couple of days. We're hopeful to get him back for the game. He's a very key piece to what we do. When you talk about communicating, you talk about a guy leading the defense. Having your ‘MIKE’ linebacker, a Pro Bowl linebacker in the middle of the defense definitely helps a lot.”
Q: On the reason for him taking over defensive playcalling
Ryans: “As I mentioned, me taking over play-calling duties is just to spark some change. Make sure we streamline communications. Make sure we're all flying around on the same page. Clear mind, fast feet, let's go fly around, play some football.”
Q: On going against Tennessee Titans Head Coach Robert Saleh
Ryans: “It's fun going up against a very close friend in Robert Saleh. Saleh means a lot to me and when it comes to coaching and why I'm coaching, why I was able to progress in coaching, I think very quickly was mainly due to Robert Saleh and the things that he taught me. Seeing him work as a defensive coordinator, seeing the preparation, the detail, how involved he was in every single aspect of coaching that entire defense and allowing us to have some great defensive success in San Francisco. It all started with him. I’m very fond of him, very intelligent coach. You know he's going to have his guys fired up, ready to play. We're in the same position. I know he's bringing his best, we have to bring our best. It's always going to be a great matchup. He knows what we do. We have to know what he does defensively. May the best man win.”
Q: On the competitiveness of his relationship with Tennessee Titans Head Coach Robert Saleh
Ryans: “The fine line is this, with me and Coach Saleh, we go back to 2006. It's beyond football; our families are close, it's beyond football. It's just talk about man to man, a true friend. I've leaned on him a lot being in the head coaching seat, he was there before me. He had that experience when I had tough questions to ask someone, that's the guy I would go to and ask questions on how to structure things. ‘Hey, I'm dealing with this problem or issue, what's the best way do you think that I can solve it?’ I always looked up to Saleh because he was always one of the brightest guys in the room, any room I was in, he was always that guy. He always had a lot of great ideas, very innovative coach, not always stuck to how it's always been done. A lot of things that I learned from him and very fond of him just as a man.”
Q: On both teams needing a win in Week 5
Ryans: “We both need this game and I expect a really good game. Both really good teams who, like I said, we've been in the same situations as I look at their games and I compare it to ours. There are games that come down to the last couple minutes of the game that hasn't gone our way. Who's going to find a way to close the game out? That'll be the team that wins this game.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 5 game vs Titans
Source: “AOL Sports”
