DeMeco Ryans All Access | From Cardinals Win to Raiders Week Standard

DeMeco Ryans All Access | From Cardinals Win to Raiders Week Standard

In studio with us now, head coach Demo Ryan’s coach. Congratulations. Good to see you. >> Thank you. Great to see you guys as well. >> We’ve been saying congratulations a lot lately. A little bit of a congratulations streak after the victory over the Cardinals. And it is Raiders week. We’ll get into the Raiders, but let’s start with the game against Arizona. Coach, a lot went right. You got off to a great start and that’s important. >> Yeah, outstanding start. I mean, how you want to start a game, that’s it right there. Come out, you know, we get the we get the huge play. CJ and Nico to go up. It’s like, “Oh, wow.” When I when I see that play happen, it’s like, “Okay, we’re gonna have a a really good day offensively. You don’t go, you know, your second play in the game, you score a touchdown.” That’s that’s very impressive. It doesn’t happen much, but it did, I think, let our entire sideline know, let our entire stadium know that our offense was here and ready to play well. >> How much did Jamal’s hit build off of that? Because I know you, we know how you, you know, love the physical aspect of the game. Nice little passing touchdown. Yeah, that’s cute. But then you get the big hit. How much did that matter that Scoop got that hit? >> Yeah, it was, I mean, one of the most important plays of the game. We go down and score and we’re able to get the ball right back from Scoo’s huge hit. And it’s one of the things we talked about in our keys to victory for our special teams, which doesn’t happen much. It’s never it’s not often it’s not often that that’s a key, but the key for us, the first one we had was take the ball >> on special teams and we saw a couple times where they were loose. The returners were loose with the football and we saw an opportunity there for us to take it away and Scoop goes down, you know, beats his man on the kickoff coverage and he puts his hat directly on the ball and Dar was able to scoop it up. Huge momentum shift right there for us, you know, and our offense is able to go back out and get points again. And Jamal was dealing with some injury issues, but gets back into the lineup and makes an immediate impression, coach. And that’s got to be a great example for everybody. Hey, when you get your moment, when you get your time to come, let it be like that. >> Yeah, for sure. And it shows like how are you working while nobody sees you? You’ve been out for a couple weeks. What are you really doing, you know, in the background? How you really working at your craft with our >> with our um our strength and conditioning department? Like how he’s working, how he’s training. So you come back and you’re ready to go full tilt. You’re ready to go. You’re not missing a beat. You’re playing full speed. You’re playing physical. You know, credit to our our staff, our support staff are working with Jamal having him ready to go. Coach continuity is important everywhere, coaching staff, secondary, defensive line, etc. I think we talk about it a lot in the media as far as the offensive line goes. How have you seen the continuity having the same five guys up front? How is that sort of manifesting itself in better performance each week from that group as you see it? >> The O line’s done a better job, I feel, of of communicating. I think the communication has grown. It’s gotten better and there’s still areas to clean up on the offensive line, but for the most part, we do it right. Like it’s it’s beautiful to watch. Like our guys do a really good job, but it’s still some things we can clean up on, you know, ideing where we’re going on some of the run plays, especially down in the red zone. uh some plays I feel like we we could have scored a couple times and we’re just IDing it the right way. So there’s still room for improvement, but having that consistent five, I think it has been better for us where the same guys are talking, same guys are communicating, but still want more, still want better from it is not where we need to be right now. We can still get even better from our offensive line. >> We had Trent Brown in studio, coach, occasional rancher Trent Brown. And uh what about a guy like that as part of the five as part of the whole group who’s won a Super Bowl before, who’s been through the trenches, if you will, using it metaphorically and literally. What do you think? >> Yeah, Trent veteran guy. He’s been around long time. He’s, you know, he’s seen what good football looks like. And for him to be an older player, I think our line shifted when we lost Titus and Trent was able to come in and provide some meaningful reps for us at the right tackle spot. You know, he’s done a good job. He’s a huge human being. that’s very difficult to get around. Uh physical guy, really smart player as well. So, it’s great to have a guy of his caliber, veteran presence who, you know, he’s a lot of people, you know, kind of forget he’s coming back from a very significant injury, >> right? And he battled his way back. He worked throughout the summer, throughout camp, being on the practice squad of just getting those reps, getting back into football shape. It takes a lot of work, a lot of time to come back of what he what his injury was. and he’s back and he’s doing a good job for us. >> Coach, you and Nick have schooled us all, schooled Mark and I, and we caught on very early because everybody wanted to talk about, “Who you keeping on the 53man roster? Who’s the 53man roster?” And you reminded us, “No, no, no, no, no. It’s a 69man roster.” We believe that everybody that we keep on the 69man roster will find a way to impact the team at some point during the year. You got to be ready for your opportunity. And on Sunday, Jaw got that opportunity. when you went back and watched the film, obviously feel good about the numbers and I know he was really excited, very humble young man. What did you see when you went back and looked at the film and and how good was it to see somebody step up and take an opportunity and do what he did yesterday? >> Yeah, it’s uh credit to him like you you have to be ready at any given moment, any given time. And Jar was ready for his moment. What I saw from the film, he went out, he played fast, he played decisive, he wasn’t hesitant. The main thing I told him all week was make sure you’re protecting the ball because a lot of times as a running back, you haven’t been hit. Like you’ve been on practice squad, we’re not physic, we’re not tackling guys in practice. So, how are you going to handle that first contact that you get? So, I reminded him that, hey, Jaw, make sure you understand that ball is not only your livelihood, but it’s it’s this entire organization’s livelihood. So, every time you’re carrying that ball, make sure you’re aware of that. And I thought first thing first, he did a great job protecting the football. And you know, Jaw’s known that he had speed. He was slashing, making some plays, but I like some of the physical runs he had where he was, man, he was going through contact, securing the football, and he was kind of like pingpong, like bouncing off a couple defenders, making guys miss in space. So, I really like, you know, what he added to our offensive our offensive threat, just having that dynamic speed, having the ability to cut, set up blocks. It was really cool to watch him. >> So his nickname is Jaws. And important question here, coach. Is Jaws the best nickname on the team? >> Jaws is a great great nickname. That is it is mine for one of the best. I still think I still think Terminator is a good one as well too. >> It’s pretty good. Now, do you tell players on the practice squad the Aryan Foster story because you were on the team when Aryan was was here. I don’t want to say that Jawar is going to be Aryan, but the fact that Aryan was on the practice squad, came off the practice squad and became Aryan Foster. >> Yeah, I I haven’t told guys that story, but you know, seeing that, you know, up close and in person watching Aaron, like watching Aren and what he was able to do, you knew I knew from playing against him in college. I’m like, man, who is like we were Bama against Tennessee. Yeah. >> And I think he was a freshman at the time and the way he ran the football, how physical he play, I’m like, oh man, that was a tough tackle. who is this kid? And we were able to get him here on the practice squad. And I knew he would be a player just from watching what he did in college and going against him. Aaron, he man, he took advantage of that and never looked back. Is he our leading rusher? >> Yes. >> In the history of the Texans, like he’s a he was an outstanding outstanding running back and hopefully other guys get to see that. Like it doesn’t matter again when you come in the league, where you come in. It’s just what do you do with the opportunity? Whether that’s undrafted, whether you’re on practice squad for a few weeks, for the entire year, like are you still working at your craft, are you still trying to grow and be your absolute best? So when you get your opportunity, you don’t look back. And that’s what Aryan Foster did. And whoever around the league or around on our team is in that spot, hopefully they have that same mindset. >> Speaking of tough to tackle, Eco Collins is tough to tackle. >> Oh yeah. And that changed a couple years ago, coach, when he really became a guy that really focused on getting the football in his hands and then getting vertical. He showed the speed on the first run, but he ran over a safety, almost took that one to the house. How much is that part of his game making him the receiver that he is? Because obviously receivers known for the hands, the footwork on the sideline, the body control, all that. But his has really been about the physical nature with which he runs the ball after he catches it. >> Yeah. You know, I remember watching Nico early, I think it was 2021, watching Nico where, you know, we played against him and he was more of an outside threat and he was just an ex receiver where he was just running vertical routes. And so fast forward coming here is like how can we move him around to try to get him more opportunities to catch the ball run. Y >> Nico is tall receiver, but he is strong, right? He is strong. So when he gets the ball in his hands, it’s not just, you know, a receiver who’s looking to catch and get down. Like he’s looking for that contact. He’s seeking the contact. Uh-oh. And he does have the speed, the elusiveness to run past you as well. You don’t find many receivers who have all of those things in the repertoire as as a receiver. And not just pass catcher, but he’s a physical player as well. I love the way he finishes all of his runs, finishes his catches, and it’s always fun to see him just play football that he’s got a smile on his face. He’s making he’s scoring touchdowns. He’s making big plays for us. Same guy. He doesn’t get too excited. He never gets too high, never too low, man. It’s just it’s fun watching him just grow in his career and get the, you know, recognition that he deserves. Nico is a allp pro wide receiver in this league and he needs to get that honor this year. >> Coach, how about CJ? His third game back and gutsy performance last week against the Chiefs and then this week against Arizona. Throws for big yardage, three touchdown passes and some lasers as well as the sack saving throws that you like to see. >> Yeah. What I love about CJ is the decision making. That’s the thing. It’s just it’s just off the charts like to see him grow and not try to run out of the back of the pocket and trying to make the big play every time. But now he’s he’s taking what’s there no matter who the receiver is at the whatever the the play calls for with his progression. Whoever is open, that’s where he’s delivering the football and just the decision- making from that standpoint. Also, when he does escape the pocket, being able to keep your eyes downfield, right? ward off defenders, keep your eyes downfield, keeping two hands on the football and still delivering strikes. The one he throws to Dalton over in the middle of the field on third down, like just multiple plays. The the touchdown of Dalton like >> he could have easy. I thought he was going to run it in. I was like, “Oh, go C.” Like, oh, >> that’s a better decision right there. Okay, Dalton. Way to way to uncover and CJ great job of finding him. But I’m I’m so encouraged by what he’s doing uh from the quarterback position because when your quarterback is playing well, especially now in December football, quarterback is playing well, making great decisions, protecting the football, it just allows you to be in a a position to win win football games. >> Coach, there’s that old adage of the game’s slowing down. >> Yeah. And it’s it’s feel it feels like that watching CJ that the game is slowing down. But I want to ask you as as a player, did you have that sort of the game slowing down? I know in the box it moves fast, but did you have that kind of period where you could sense things were maybe moving a little bit slower because of the way you’re seeing things, what you knew they were doing. And do you sense that with CJ from that position? >> For sure. I I think, you know, from being in the around this league for a long time, I think by year three >> is when the game starts to slow down for for players, right? And year three is always that marker for me. Like if a guy really hasn’t caught on and hasn’t quite done it, by year three, it’s probably not going to happen. >> By year three, you see those, you know, that growth. You see the progression. you see him calm in the moment, making great decisions, making the plays he’s supposed to make. That’s a great sign that this guy’s going to be around for a while and he’s going to be a productive player. All right, because the game is slowed down for him. You seeing the same things over and over again, CJ’s doing a great job, I think, also of identifying coverages, right? We may anticipate that we’re getting this cover three or this man coverage and to see a change on you. Okay, that wasn’t what we were looking for for that play, but I’m able to progress and get to my next read even though that wasn’t the design coverage that I wanted. Like that shows the growth. His demeanor has been great in game. Really calm, confident, handling the situations very well. Very happy with him. >> Coach Daltton Schultz, single season tight end reception leader in the history of the franchise now after the performance against the Cardinals. What about the impact he’s had overall this year and in the game? Yeah, Dalton has done a great job. I thought he may have been at some type of record. I was asking the guys up in the meeting this morning. It’s like, has he passed Owen Owen Daniels yet? Like he’s made a made a lot of catches. Uh >> Dalton has done a great job this year, right? To see his progression, to see his growth in this offense. Like just you have this bright light that’s shining on him every week. You know, he finds a way to uncover, get in a spot to make a play. And especially it’s a critical third downs that he’s making. And I like also how he’s finishing like some of the runs near the sideline trying to finish going forward. I I just like the strain and effort, you know, in the run game. I think he’s just gotten better as a player and he’s become very quarterback friendly. CJ knows that and CJ’s, you know, able to find him a lot. So, credit to Dalton just for the work that he’s put in. Like from training camp, like when we switched to offense, I could just, you could tell Dalton was going to have a good year. like he was doing it all summer, all training camp. And to see it still happening now, you know, at this part in the season, man, proud of Dalton for the work that he’s put in and is showing up for us and showing up big for us. And now he’s breaking records as a Texan. So, great job, Dalton. >> It’s been good to talk about the offense for the amount of time that we have. And we’ve talked about the defense a lot this year. And I know that you talked about it during your press conference, coach. There were a lot of plays on both sides of the ball, all three phases. Still some yards left out there on on all three phases, >> but it feels like defensively this year, a guy that just doesn’t get talked about enough and I know he was banged up a little bit going into this week and yet he it felt like he played his guts out and that’s Sheldon Rankings. What has Sheldon meant to your defense, especially even more so now with Tim being out now Mario going out on the interior? What has Sheldon gave him to your defense? And Sheldon has done a man, you know, outstanding job when it comes to especially our our pass rush package. Like Sheldon is a guy who is that that coach on the field, so to speak. Like he’s the guy who’s able to communicate like what games we’re running like where if we need to switch something up, it all runs through Sheldon. So he’s done an outstanding job of being a leader, like first and foremost communicating. Uh he’s done a great job of taking care of his body like being ready and available any given moment. I think he’s played well in the run game as well. Uh he’s just he’s just man he’s consistent. He’s very consistent. Plays his heart out like you say. He’s >> he everybody at this point the season is dealing with something like and he continues to battle. He’s not going to say anything, not complain about anything, but he’s going to go out and give you everything he has, every single rep that he takes. And it’s it’s fun to watch a guy, you know, who’s a vet, been in his league for a while. It’s fun to watch just the effort, the intention that he plays with. >> Coach, what about the intensity you came out with? It was a lot. We talked about the great start you had, and you need that against Sunday against the Raiders. And I was wondering, I know you talked to the guys about the opponent and all the matchups and everything, but when you look around at standings and things like that, these games are all critical. No matter who you’re playing, you need these dubs. So, do you address that with the team? How do you go about that? >> Yeah, Mark, that’s why I pour my all into that whoever we’re playing. Like, all my all goes into that opponent because I know how important each and every game is. There is no game to overlook. There is no looking for the next opponent. It’s about the now like the week who this week the Raiders that’s what it’s all about this week and it’s important we we don’t have >> tell we don’t have the you know the time we don’t have the opportunity to overlook anybody because when I look at the game that we played versus the Cardinals I’m like man I know we scored 40 point I know that’s a great job great plays on special teams but man like shouldn’t have been over 50 like we should like when you have opportunity to do that. No slight against the Cardinals or anything, but just talking about us and how we operate, how we function, how do you what do you expect of yourself? Like, do you expect greatness of yourself? Not comparing yourself to another opponent, but I know I could have did better on that play. I know I could have, you know, made a better block. I know I could have finished better. I know I could have made a better decision, a better read. I know I could have played with better leverage. I know I could have finished my rush a little bit better. So all those things that we have the film at our disposal to go back and show guys and teach them. And I’m just talking about our guys and what they I know that I’ve seen them do before >> that we didn’t do in this game where man how do you really chase greatness >> and that’s what I want our guys to see like you’re chasing greatness. You’re chasing excellence. You’re not just satisfied with yeah we got the win. You should expect the win every week but how are you chasing that excellence? Okay, so this might be a little tricky. >> Is it easier to teach after a loss >> or to teach you have this standard? Yeah. >> After a win, what’s more what’s more what’s easier to get their attention when you have to teach something, you know, you’re trying to teach something that day. Is it easier to get their attention after a loss or after a win? Yeah, it’s it’s easier of course after a loss because everybody is kind of in the tank and it’s like ah >> now those mistakes really cost the team, right? When you win there’s a sense of like >> okay you you can easily relax because you won the game and now oh well we won right? >> No these mistakes are >> they’re all important like you still have to be on you still have to get it cleaned up. So you know I’m going in and there’s a fine balance as well. Also, I’m gonna uplift the guys and show them all the great things that they did because there are a ton of great reps that happened in this game to put us in position to win in such a such a great fashion. But we also got to learn in every every battle like you have to learn loss or win. There are takeaways, key takeaways that you learn from. So, >> it prepares you for the next battle. And that’s where my mind always goes. It’s not about the last one, but man, as we want to keep moving forward, we want to play ball into January. Like, we can’t have some of the mistakes that we’re having. >> So, the standard stays the standard no matter what. >> No matter what. >> There we go. When you were in San Francisco, you faced Pete Carol an awful lot and now he’s the head coach of the Raiders. So, you know, he’s a great coach and the Raiders are not having a great season, but they come in still as a threat as an NFL team with something to play for. Yeah, always a threat, you know, and playing against Pete, one thing I know he’s going to try to pride himself on is, you know, really possessing the football, eating the clock, like should be a lot of runs. I know they have a good back, should be a lot of runs. They have really good tight end as well. So, you know, our focus will be there. And then offensively for us, their defense, they’re going to do a lot of different things. You know, their coordinator, they have a lot of different looks. Max Crosby is one of the best defensive ends in our league. He’s been there for a long time. Guy’s a productive player. No matter how the Raiders seasons have gone, like you always hear the name Max Crosby. You always see the film of how hard this guy plays. You can’t tell what their record is by watching him play. He’s such a stud. Does an outstanding job. So, we have our work cut out for us. I know up front. Got to do a great job of handling him if we’re going to have success. >> Mark asked a really interesting question this morning, coach, as we were talking. you said, and maybe it’s more so for us because we’re not looking at it through a coaching lens, but what’s that one team when you see on the other sideline where you go, oo, like you remember it from growing up, you’re like, man, I used to watch that team growing up and you see that helmet on the other side. For us, it was the for me it was the Raiders. I mean, the Raiders, that silver and black, like I grew up with NFL films with Willie Brown running down the sideline. That’s what I grew up seeing. for you. Do you have a team that you look at it and go, “Oh, that’s a team that reminds me of my childhood that I used to watch all the time that you just see them on the other side and you’re like, “Wow, this is really cool. We get to face them today.” >> Uh, not really one for me. I didn’t I didn’t I didn’t grow up like that huge of a football fan. >> Yeah. >> More so I was a baseball fan. I was watching a lot of baseball, playing a lot of baseball growing up. So, >> NFLs on Sundays, >> well, we were at church like all day. probably I missed a lot of the uh NFL games on Sunday. Then the Monday night games would come on, but >> I was so into the WWE that I was that I would be late getting the Monday Night Football. So, uh not a team that really does for me. The one team that kind of, you know, the team that I kind of >> started to favor and lean lean towards my uh towards the end of my high in high school was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And you know, back when they had the great defense with Derek Brooks and Ronnie Barber, like those guys, those are the guys I was watching. >> Yeah. Coach, uh, the Colts lost over the weekend. Philip Rivers, 44 years old, comes in, plays quarterback. Just want to get your reaction to that. He’s 44 years old. I mean, if we were thin at linebacker, would you entertain? Never mind about that, but thoughts on that subject. you know, uh, you know, first I say credit to Phillip and I think, uh, I saw Philillip not too long ago at the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame and, you know, seeing him, he was so excited, so full of energy like he always is, and he’s coaching his high school team, proud of his team, and now to see him transition to be able to come back >> in the football, it says a lot about him, and it says a lot about what Shane thinks of him and what he’s capable of doing. You see that he’s he’s a coach for sure, but he was the coach on a failure. Watching watching I was able to see a little bit of that game and watching him like just get back into QB mode, like seeing him being able to ID the defense, check plays, checking the screens, checking protections. It was really cool to see like uh and I think he did a really good job of really having those guys there in position to win the football game. Uh it’s impressive. No one was thinking it would look that way. But for him to go up to Seattle and put that give that team an opportunity to to be in position to win, it was very impressive by him. >> All right, the Amig Bank Ask coach question of the week. It’s the holiday game this weekend. So, coach, when I say holiday tradition, either growing up or now, what rings out to you? What is important to you, your family, maybe growing up or maybe something you like to do now with your kids and wife? Uh I mean growing up for me holiday tradition was just it was uh Christmas Eve. We had a huge event on Christmas Eve where the entire family was able to come together and we were able to just you know share a joyous time. You had these hu people would come in with big bags of gifts and everybody got a gift, right? It didn’t matter. It wasn’t about the amount of the gift and what it was like I could get a pair of socks or or a tie or whatever, but it was the thought that went into it. My family definitely showed me that man they truly care. They love each other like wanted to see the happiness and joy on each other’s face just by opening you know as kids you just opening presents and you see some stuff but >> it meant a lot to them to carry on that tradition you know started by my grandmother and they still continue that tradition to this day so you know I’m thankful for being able to grow up and see just that warmth and that joy for holidays and it shows about just sharing with others right giving not about getting you know as a kid you and give me give me but I now as an adult I see like man they truly wanted to they truly had a spirit of giving >> and that’s what I learned from my from my family growing up and I truly have that heart now as an adult like it’s about me giving my wife may ask what do you I don’t don’t get me anything for Christmas it’s like who can we share with who can we give something to to help someone else so that’s what that’s my >> that’s my fondest memory uh now with the kids try not to get them too much stuff so they’re not they’re not too spoiled. And but the kids now they love the elf on the shelf. I know you guys are familiar with that. Like >> yeah, >> seeing the elf move around every morning. They they’re really excited about that. So I I do enjoy that. Seeing the kids, Daddy, we found him. He’s over here. So that that’s fun. >> Reminder, set the alarm for the elf 10:00 at night or whenever it might be. Coach, thanks a lot. Good luck. >> Thank you guys. and

Head Coach DeMeco Ryans recaps the win over the Arizona Cardinals and explains how the Texans keep learning after a win. From C.J. Stroud’s decision making to Nico Collins’ physical finish, plus Dalton Schultz making history, Coach details what is clicking and what still needs to clean up. Then it is full focus on the Raiders and why every week demands the same edge.
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