Here's everything Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 9's road trip against the Los Angeles Chargers,including his thoughts on the returning players from the bye week, the role of Jalen Pitre and the struggles from the Bolts amid an 0-7 start.
Question: On S Jalen Pitre
DeMeco Ryans: “Getting Jalen back, it'll be very beneficial for us, just how versatile of a player he is, how smart he is, how fast and physical he plays. He really raises the physical nature of our defense when he's out there. I was excited to get him back in action today.”
Q: On whether S Jalen Pitre returning changes CB Kamari Lassiter’s role
Ryans: “Kamari will be outside.”
Q: On the emphasis of tackling in practice
Ryans: “Tackling has been an issue for us,
for our team. We just put an emphasis on it. We did tackling drills in our special teams drill to start the day. Also, we started the day defensively doing tackling drills. It's just a matter of emphasizing things, areas where we need to improve as coaches, as players. We just emphasize it, put our focus there. We want to see it get better on Sunday.”
Q: On whether he noticed a difference in energy at practice
Ryans: “Our team came out today ready to work. They showed that on Monday when we went out to practice. There has been really great intent, very deliberate practice from everybody. I really love the energy, love the execution, love how guys are operating. I'm excited to see how we continue to progress this week and keep the great practices going. One day is, ‘Okay, can we do it consecutive days? Can all of that translate to Sunday?’”
Q: On what he has seen from the Chargers
Ryans: “As I look at the Chargers, their team is definitely not indicative of their record. They are a really good football team. Their quarterback is a really great player. Their defense has been really good. Their defense is styled on third down. They eliminate the explosives. This is a really good team. We don't come in looking at the record and making any predetermined notions of who this team is. We go out, we watch the film, we prepare for a really good team. They're a very intricate offense. They move guys around a lot, have a lot of things that can get your eyes if you're not careful. Mike [McDaniel] does a really good job of scheming that in the run. I think they'll stick to the run. We have to do a great job of defending the run. Some issues that we had in the previous week of not defending the run well there late in the football game. It's the same thing this week. We've got to defend it for four quarters. If we do that, we feel that'll be one of the keys to this game. We also understand [Justin] Herbert and his abilities to make plays, especially him in the pocket. We haven't seen a quarterback who is tough as he is in a pocket to be able to shake defenders off and still complete the ball downfield. We have to do a great job of rushing together as a unit with our four guys. We have to do a great job of coverage as well.”
Q: On whether WR Tank Dell will see an increase in snap count
Ryans: “We'll see more of Tank. That’s not because of who's out. It's Tank's second week now playing. I think his reps will just increase with his workload. He's put a lot of work in on the side and just natural progression of an increase in his workload.”
Q: On WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
Ryans: “Marvin has done a great job. Since the first day he's gotten here, when it comes to learning the playbook, Marvin's a really smart player. He's picked up on everything fairly quickly. He's been attentive. He's been dialed in, studying a lot. He's very well-versed in the playbook.”
Q: On RB David Montgomery
Ryans: “David is still sidelined. He'll be out. We're still trying to get him on the field, trying to get him going. But right now, it's still week to week. He has made some progress.”
Q: On health affecting defense
Ryans: “Defensively, we have to play together. Whoever is out there, we want everybody to be healthy, flying around. Everybody's their best when they're feeling good, that's for all of our guys. They should be flying around, feeling good. After the Bye Week, the much-needed rest that we were able to receive, I expect to see a renewed energy in our group on Sunday.”
Q: On the adjustments the defense has made
Ryans: “For us, defensively, we just have to go play our defense the right way. It's playing with fundamentals, playing with technique, everybody playing together. That's good defensive football. There are not a ton of adjustments that need to be made. We just have to go out and play it the right way.”
Q: On whether there will be a personnel change in the offensive line
Ryans: “Our same group will go out there.”
Q: On the team finishing games
Ryans: “It's all good on Wednesday. It all looks good on Wednesday and throughout the week [laughs]. But as you all know, it's about game day. Our guys, they know what to do. They know how to do it. It's a matter of doing that consistently for those 65 snaps that we're going to get on Sunday. That's what I'm most excited to see, like our finish, how we go about our business. We get some really good front. The Chargers' defensive line, they don't get enough credit. They have very good guys up front who play disruptive. They can make plays in the backfield, good rushers off the edge with Tuli [Tuipulotu], with [Khalil] Mack. We have our hands full, again, as every week. Our guys will get tested this week when it comes to that challenge of how you finish. You have to outwork these guys up front because they'll do a good job of mixing up their stunts, games, moving around. We have to do a great job of outworking and finishing up front.”
Q: On how he has seen the team stick together despite the teams record
Ryans: “It's only one way forward and that's together. I haven't seen it any other way. Our guys have been very good. Our games, they've been close games. Our guys see those couple plays where we've been off. Now the focus, our mindset, is on how do we just finish. It's not about staying together. Our guys have been together. That's never a message, or it's nothing that I have to talk about. It's just how do we play better football and finish.”
Q: On what he saw from the Los Angeles Chargers last week
Ryans: “The Rams, they did a good job. Again, that ball game was tight there at the half before they were able to get a couple of turnovers to flip the game in their favor. When I look at that game and I look at all of the Chargers' games, I don't look at the record. I watch the tape. These games have been close, just like all games in the NFL. They're a talented football team. They're competitive. Coach [Jim] Harbaugh's teams have always been competitive. That's what he's known for. They're going to be physical. We just have to find a way to continue to outwork them as best we can. We know it's going to be a challenge, a four-quarter battle. We have to find a way to finish.”
Q: On what he wants from the run game in the second half of the season
Ryans: “I want us to move the football. Run, pass, it doesn't matter. I want us to move the football and score points.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 9 matchup vs. Chargers
