(SportsRadio 610) - During a 10-year playing career with the Texans and Eagles, linebacker DeMeco Ryans worked for three head coaches – Gary Kubiak, Andy Reid and Chip Kelly.
As a second-round pick in 2006, Ryans got in on the ground floor of the Kubiak regime. After being traded to Philadelphia in 2012, he played one season for Reid before he was fired and moved to Kansas City. Then Ryans started over with Kelly in 2013.
Throughout those 10 seasons, Ryans learned a lot of lessons from watching each head coach, lessons that would eventually prepare him for his job with the Texans.
None of the lessons were more important than seeing is believing. In other words, nothing convinces players to believe in what coaches are telling them more than positive results.
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It should be obvious to anyone who follows the Texans – and to those witnessing the transformation from afar – that Ryans has a well-coached, confident team that believes in what the coaches have been teaching since the start of the offseason program.
The Texans are coming off impressive victories over Jacksonville (37-17) and Pittsburgh (30-6), their first back-to-back conquests of at least 20 points since 2015. Now they’re 2-2 and in a four-way tie in the AFC South going into Sunday’s game at Atlanta, where the Texans are 1.5-point underdogs – down from 3.5 early in the week.
The players believe in Ryans and his assistants, and they believe in them. Ryans was asked this week about the significance of winning when a new coach and new offensive and defensive coordinators are trying to get players to believe in what they’re being taught on a weekly basis.
“It’s important when you focus on things and you harp and you coach as hard as you can on a style of play or how things should be done,” he said. “And it takes time for guys to buy in to how we want to prepare throughout the week. For them to see the results and for them to see success from what we’ve been asking them to do is huge for us. That gets our players to truly listen to us more, buy in more to what we’re asking them to do because it works.”
Through four games, it’s worked so well the Texans are one of the biggest surprises in the NFL. They may not think so, but others sure do – locally and nationally. They’re coming off a game in which they trounced the Steelers so thoroughly it’s earned them well-deserved recognition across the league.
When offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who’s coming off an exceptional play-calling performance against the Steelers, comes up with a game plan, quarterback C.J. Stroud and the offensive players are confident they can carry it out the way it was drawn up.
When Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke devise their plan for the opposing offense, players believe in them and how they want to attack their opponent.
“We know what winning football looks like,” Ryans said. “(We) know what a winning culture looks like. Guys (are) continuing to buy in and do what we’re asking them to do. The wins and everything will take care of themselves.”
The Texans lost their first two games by 18 and 11 points to Baltimore and Indianapolis. Just about everyone was learning on the job and going through an adjustment process. They rebounded to defeat Jacksonville and Pittsburgh by 20 and 24 points. The coaches are learning about the players, and the players are learning from the coaches. It’s a cohesive relationship built on trust.
“The cool part about our team is where we started Week 1 to where we are now,” Ryans said. “There’s been major growth. That’s what I’m most encouraged about – the growth over the first four weeks and knowing we have even more room to grow.
“I think the first two weeks, we were figuring out how to win in this league. You have to learn how to win. (We) took lumps (but) they’re starting to see what it takes to win. Now, as we continue to grow, it’s still about honing in on the fine details of our job.”
Ryans knows the Texans have to keep improving to beat the Falcons to give them their first three-game winning streak since 2018.
“(We’ve) got a lot of things we can clean up in all three phases of the game,” he said. “It’s easier to clean them up after you win, but just understand, there’s still a lot of teaching (and) a lot of coaching going on with our guys.”
One of those most impressive things about Ryans and his staff has been the development and contributions of general manager Nick Caserio’s 2023 draft class. Stroud, defensive end Will Anderson Jr., center Juice Scruggs, center Jarrett Patterson and linebacker Henry To’oTo’o have been starters. Receiver Tank Dell starts when the offense opens with three wideouts. Defensive end Dylan Horton has contributed off the bench.
“I love coaching young players because that’s where you can get the most growth out of a guy,” Ryans said. “Guys are in tune and listening to what you’re asking them to do, and they take it to heart.
“These guys have the right mindset. They want to continue to get better, and they’re not closed off to teaching. If guys have that mindset, we can help them get better and play their best.”
Now they have to keep growing, improving and learning to play their best on a consistent basis. And it starts at the top.
“It's fun to coach these guys because first and foremost, they love football, and they want to get better,” Ryans said. “That’s all I need – guys that listen, guys that want to get better. I’m all in on helping these guys as much as I can.”
And if the “young guys” help the Texans pull off a third consecutive upset to remain in first place in the AFC South, fans will be asking, “Why not the Texans?” when it comes to winning the division title in what’s considered the third year of Caserio’s rebuild.
John McClain can be heard Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday on SportsRadio 610 and Monday, Thursday and Sunday on Texans Radio, also on SportsRadio 610. He writes five columns a week and does three Houtopia Football Podcasts for SportsRadio610.com.