Here is everything Houston Texans head coachDeMeco Ryans said ahead of the Week 6 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, including newlyacquired wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr’s work ethic and whether or not he will play in the game against Jacksonville, injury updates for linebacker Henry To’o To’o and wide receiver Tank Dell as well as rookie safety Kamari Ramsey
stepping up in place of Jalen Pitre.Question: On WR Marvin Harrison Jr.
DeMeco Ryans: “I thought Marvin did a really good job today, getting acclimated. Our coaches have done a great job in the background, just really working with him, getting him caught up to speed on our plays, the verbiage of what we're doing. He got in, ran some plays today, did a good job.”
Q: On the Jacksonville
Jaguars
Ryans: “I think the thing that sticks out to me about the Jaguars is their play style. It jumps off the tape. Defensively, they're flying around, they're causing havoc. They do multiple things, moving their front well, pressuring, they do a good job of just mixing it up. Offensively, they're winning on third downs, that's been the key for them. They stay on the field, they sustain drives because they keep the third downs at a manageable area in that short window. They're able to have their whole playbook at their disposal. They're doing a good job. [Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach] Liam [Coen] has done a great job of leading that team for the second year in a row and they're off to a great start.”
Q: On the growth he has seen from QB C.J. Stroud
Ryans: “The growth I've seen for C.J. is just he's confident when he's standing there. He gains that confidence by the pocket that he's able to have with our offensive line and doing a good job of protecting him, allowing him to make those good decisions, allow him to dish the football out to a lot of different guys.”
Q: On getting players that join the team during the regular season up to speed
Ryans: “Getting the player caught up, it isn't hard when the player is attentive and he's locked in on getting the details down. Marvin's first night here, he was with our assistant wide receiver coach, Coach Tiquan [Underwood] and they were grinding. They were working late at night, they were in the playbook grinding and that allowed him to get a day ahead and now he was able to go out there today and just fit right in seamlessly. When you put the work in and you're dialed in, you can make it work.”
Q: On WR Marvin Harrison Jr. being a hard worker
Ryans: “It fits right in with everything I heard about him. He's a hard worker. That was the message that kept reverberating as we asked different people about him and it showed today at practice. He's lining up, he's locked in on what we asked him to do, getting the call, getting the line, very easy. I'm excited to see how his week continues to progress and see how much he can handle.”
Q: On LB Henry To’oTo’o and WR Tank Dell’s status
Ryans: “We were able to open Henry's window today, so he was able to get out and practice. We're elated to have him back out at practice. Tank, he's still practicing, this is his second week back at practice. He's looking really good. We'll continue to see how he progresses as the week goes on.”
Q: On what determines WR Tank Dell returning to game action
Ryans: “We'll keep allowing Tank to get as comfortable as he needs to be. I was just giving him that time to get back to football because it's been such a long time since he was able to do a lot of team drills, put the pads on. He's working himself back very well. He's looking fast. He's making very decisive cuts. He's doing a really good job. We'll see how that timeline works. We know we opened up his window last week, we have 21 days to make that decision. We'll see where he is as we keep progressing.”
Q: On WR Marvin Harrison Jr.’s game status in Week 6
Ryans: “Marvin will play.”
Q: On having two large receiving threats in WR Marvin Harrison Jr. and WR Nico Collins
Ryans: “To have two receivers looking at both of them today, I'm like, ‘Man, those are two tough guys to cover.’ When you have two big, tall receivers, the thing that separates those guys is their catch radius. Being tall, long guys, just when you put the ball up, they have that ability no matter where it is to kind of outjump a defensive back or really find a way to come down with those tough, contested catches because of their size so they can utilize their size to body guys and get open and just play physical. I'm excited to see both guys out there on the field together.”
Q: On the person he has leaned on for experience with an international game
Ryans: “The person I leaned on is the person here in our building, our Assistant Head Coach [and Running Backs] Danny Barrett. He was here when the Texans won in 2019. He went through that schedule of what they were able to do, how he felt about the flow of everything and how it worked. I've been leaning on Coach Barrett. He's been a great mentor for me and a guy I can lean on and ask any questions. We're dialed in, we're ready to roll.”
Q: On the advantage of playing a team that has played previously internationally
Ryans: “I don't know what that advantage is or if there is an advantage. My mindset and everything I'm telling our guys is when the ball is kicked off, everybody wants to talk about the difference with the travel, the difference with the timing and schedule. I want to talk about when the ball is kicked off, ‘What are we doing?’ That's what matters most to me.”
Q: On Jacksonville Jaguars WR Parker Washington
Ryans: “Parker has been very dynamic. He literally jumps off the tape playing explosive, he’s a fast guy. We knew the type of returner he was, but now he's showing that skill set as a receiver and they're featuring him more. He's more of the first guy in the progression and he's able to get open. He's playing fast, looks like he plays whatever speed he runs. He runs at that speed every time he gets a route. He's a guy who's made some tough catches. He's a tough player, kind of a laid around guy who's really made a name for himself, just a guy who really works at his craft and he's gotten better at playing receiver. He's a dynamic returner as we all know and that's the primary guy for us defensively that we have to try to stop.”
Q: On the process of involving WR Marvin Harrison Jr. into the gameplan
Ryans: “When you get a player to come in late as Marvin has, it's, ‘What is he able to pick up on?’ We go through the entire playbook, we have set plays and we'll make sure it's as easy as possible for him to get lined up so he can play fast. We just don't expect him to come out and play in all 60 snaps in the game, but we'll make sure he gets what he needs and make sure he's confident in what we're asking him to do.”
Q: On what went well in Week 5 vs. Tennessee
Ryans: “Defensively, the thing that went well for us is we got off the field on third down. We took the football away and we stopped the run. That formula, it really doesn't change. We didn't give up many explosive passes. That was something that was hurting us the first couple weeks. When you limit the explosive plays that you give up, you limit the points that go on the board. Our guys know that, we know that's our formula. We have to keep the ball in front of us, we have to go tackle well and we have to lean on that again. The formula, it doesn't change to me no matter who you're playing. There is a style that you need, you have to keep the ball in front of you and you have to get off the field on third down and all those critical situations, third down and red zone.”
Q: On Offensive Coordinator Nick Caley’s growth as a play caller
Ryans: “Nick has done a great job, that is one thing I really like about Nick Caley, with how he calls the game and what he can call. It’s his ability to go in and out of different play styles or play calls whether it's we want to run the ball, we want to run duo, we can run duo, we want to run outside zone, we can get to it. It's whatever works for us. We've been doing a great job with C.J., receivers, throwing the football around. To me, football is about moving the ball down the field. You have to gain yards. If that's running the football, great. If it's not, let's find a way to throw it. Our guys are open and doing a good job of catching the football, ‘How can we continue to sustain positive drives, stay ahead of the change?’ However that looks, Caley has been able to adapt and change each week based on our opponent, what's that weakness and what's our strength? What do we do well? Let's lean into what we do well and let's go execute and play fast.”
Q: On RB Jawhar Jordan
Ryans: “I think we all saw what Jawhar can do last year when he was able to get an opportunity to get in the game. He was able to create some explosive plays on a couple check down plays. I remember he had a big run, 50-yard gain on a check down pass. Jawhar is a very fast player. He's been working with us for a while and he's done a good job with his role. His role increases and he gets some opportunities like everyone else. Just want him to maximize those, go play fast, protect the football, play physical and it'll be just fine.”
Q: On what led to the defense limiting explosive plays
Ryans: “I hope it's cleaned up. It better be. That's the key every week for us to make sure we're eliminating explosive plays. I know it's not a magic thing that has to happen. It's just guys just have to be where they're supposed to be. That's really it. When we play coverage the proper way. When we played proper leverage, proper depth, you eliminate explosive passes.”
Q: On S Kamari Ramsey
Ryans: “Ramsey, he was able to step in for [S] Jalen [Pitre], able to go into that nickel spot for us. He's played safety for us as well. He’s a versatile player, smart young man. He's able to learn two positions very quickly. He stepped in there and did a good job for us.”
Q: On the difficulties of being a play caller with a player getting injured
Ryans: “Next man up, next man up, we keep rolling.”
Q: On WR Marvin Harrison Jr. moving well for his size
Ryans: “Marvin is a good player. He's a great receiver. He's been a great receiver probably all his life. He's been a talented receiver. At every level that he's been on. One thing I told him, Marvin, ‘When you come here, be yourself, have fun, go be that guy you've always been.’”
Q: On how the team is preparing for a time change
Ryans: “In preparation this week, [Director of Wellness] Ladd [Harris], he's done a great job of giving the guys a plan of you start to go to bed a little bit earlier each and every night to try to get on that schedule. We got the guys some cool blue light glasses to kind of help for guys to go to sleep a little bit sooner. Once we leave here, guys are expected to go to sleep on the plane and sleep overnight, just like a normal red eye flight. For those who've been on a red eye, you just sleep overnight and we get there on Friday, then we'll roll right into our Friday schedule.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 6 game vs Jaguars
