Tag: DeMeco Ryans

Ohio State’s Chip Kelly reportedly ‘in mix’ for Texans OC opening

Chip Kelly could be headed to the Houston Texans this upcoming season.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Houston Texans need a new offensive coordinator following the firing of Bobby Slowik on Friday afternoon.

Ohio State offensive coordinator Chip Kelly seems interested in returning to the pros for the first time since 2016 after his disastrous one-year stay with the San Francisco 49ers.

Could the cards align for Kelly to head down to the NRG Stadium? According to one report, more than stars are heading in the right direction.

According to CBS Sports’ insider Jonathan Jones, Kelly is considered a target for both the Jacksonville Jaguars and Texans OC positions. The former Oregon and UCLA head coach also could get looks in Tampa Bay and Las Vegas for their openings.

Kelly, 61, is fresh off winning a national championship at Ohio State while serving as Ryan Day’s play-caller. While he could stick around Columbus for another season, folks believe he’d take an NFL job tomorrow if offered and never looked back.

Last offseason, Kelly interviewed for the Seattle Seahawks and Raiders offensive coordinator openings before eventually stepping down as UCLA’s head coach. At this point in his career, Kelly seems more inclined to call play rather than run an organization.

In Jacksonville, Kelly would likely split play-calling duties with recently hired Liam Coen. In Houston, he’d be in control of the offense while working hands-on with C.J. Stroud.

Much like Jacksonville, Houston has a core of four offensive personnel at Kelly’s disposal. Stroud headlines an offensive powerhouse featuring Nico Collins, Joe Mixon and Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil.

But he won’t be alone in the quest to land the OC job. Texans quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, New Orleans Saints offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and Los Angeles Rams pass game coordinator Nick Caley are also early candidates for the position.

Texans move off 3 more coaches following Bobby Slowik’s firing

Three coaches won’t be back with the Houston Texans as their contracts have expired.

Bobby Slowik was the headliner of Houston Texans‘ coaches to be let go following Saturday’s divisional-round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, but he wasn’t the only one.

According to multiple reports, Texans do not plan to renew contracts for offensive assistants Jarrod James and Leander Wallace and defensive assistant Ryan Milus. Their contracts have all expired.

The three coaches join Slowik and offensive line coach Chris Strausser. After conflicting reports, assistant offensive line coach Cole Popovich was not fired, though his contract expired and might leave depending on the new offensive coordinator.

Wallace joined the Texans in 2021 and worked in various roles, initially in the football operations department before becoming a coach. James joined the staff after spending time in East Lansing as Michigan State’s assistant offensive line coach.

Milus was hired when DeMeco Ryans arrived from San Francisco in 2023.

After the nine-point loss last week, Ryans said he wanted to take the franchise to new heights after struggling to get over the hump. Houston has won 10-plus games back-to-back years but lost in the divisional round to the top seed as the lowest-ranked divisional winner.

“That’s how this business has been since I’ve been involved in almost 20 years now, it changes every single year,” Ryans said. “So that happens, there’ll be difficult conversations to have but that is the nature of what we do.”

A new offensive coordinator is expected to be hired within the week. Both special teams coordinator Frank Ross and defensive coordinator Matt Burke are expected back for 2025.

Texans HC DeMeco Ryans sends message to Chiefs after Divisional loss

Houston #Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans sends message to Kansas City #Chiefs after Divisional loss | @EdEastonJr

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has led his team to the Divisional game in consecutive seasons, but the team lost to the Kansas City Chiefs this time. The former standout defensive player congratulated his former head coach and the Chiefs during his postgame press conference on Saturday.

“For me, it is the frustration on all three phases. It is special teams, defense, and offense. We didn’t get it done. Congrats to Andy (Reid) and the Chiefs.” said Ryans. “They deserve it. They have done a great job over the past few years of being consistent, and that is why they have been champions: they consistently get the job done. No matter how the game goes, they find a way to close games out. Congrats to those guys, and I wish them the best moving forward.”

Ryans notably played under Reid during the 2012 season when Reid was the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. On Saturday, the league’s oldest coach notched his 300th career victory, joining rare air in the NFL’s all-time coaching ranks.

DeMeco Ryans suggested the Texans knew the Chiefs would get favorable calls

DeMeco Ryans spoke for all NFL fans tired of the Chiefs getting favorable calls.

After a highly questionable officiating performance during Saturday’s divisional-round game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans, Houston coach DeMeco Ryans bluntly shaded the referees.

During his postgame press conference, Ryans alluded to Saturday’s game in Kansas City being the Texans against “everybody,” with added emphasis on “everybody” to essentially indict the officials for helping swing the game in Kansas City’s favor.

In a contest where Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes drew one of the worst roughing penalties of the 2024 season, it’s hard not to see where Ryans is coming from here. Ryans admitted his team needed to play better to win, but he also recognized the clear hurdle Houston had to clear on Saturday.

It’s been clear for a while now that the Chiefs are getting calls just because they’re such a popular franchise that financially benefits the league with their involvement. You can’t blame Ryans for being frustrated about what fans are seeing when they watch at home.

Expect more coaches like Ryans to call it out as the years go on and the favorable calls keep coming. It’s not hard to spot.

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Saints urged to pursue underrated offensive mind for HC opening

Bleacher Report argues the New Orleans Saints should pursue an underrated candidate in Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik:

The New Orleans Saints are one of the teams still looking for a new head coach and are also considered to be one of the least-desirable jobs in the market.

With some top options potentially looking elsewhere, knowing they could potentially land at an easier spot, the Saints could be forced to look at one of the less sought-after coaches this cycle.

Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport found someone that fits that bill, but is also very promising. He recently searched for an underrated head coach candidate for each team that would be a great fit. For New Orleans, he decided on Houston Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.

Here is what Davenport had to say about why he would suggest the decision:

Hire a young offensive coach like Slowik. Be patient while the team pulls itself from salary-cap purgatory. And then reap the rewards when the young offense he helped build finally clicks.

Or, do the same thing as the past few years, break out 11 rolls of duct tape and hope Slowik can scheme a flawed team to 10 wins and the postseason.

Slowik has an interview lined up with the Jets, but he was a hotter candidate after C.J. Stroud’s rookie year. A sophomore slump slowed down that train, but Davenport walked away impressed with how Slowik led the Texans offense in the playoff game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

At first, DeMeco Ryans’ defense kept the Texans in the game. When the offense clicked, however, they rolled the rest of the game. The Chargers are a tough defense, so Slowik deserves credit for that success.

He is another member of the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree, which the hire of Klint Kubiak shows that Mickey Loomis is intrigued by. Davenport sees Slowik’s age as another positive. He’s only 37 years old which gives the Saints and him a chance to grow together. As the Saints take their bumps, Slowik could refine himself as a coach. This isn’t the best win-now set up in New Orleans. They could afford to take their time with Slowik.

The Texans finished this season averaging one yard per game less than the Saints, making them the 11th-least productive unit in the league. A sophomore slump isn’t too worrying, given what he has shown before. He clearly knows the sport well and would be an intriguing option.

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DeMeco Ryans comments on Texans waiving WR Diontae Johnson

DeMeco Ryans kept it short and sweet on the Houston Texans’ decision to waive Diontae Johnson after two games.

While it might not be the answer Houston Texans fans were looking for, second-year coach DeMeco Ryans kept his thoughts brief on the release of wide receiver Dionate Johnson.

“With Diontae, unfortunately it didn’t work out and we’re on to the Chiefs,” Ryans said following Tuesday’s practice.

Johnson, who was claimed off waivers after seven weeks with the Baltimore Ravens, lasted three weeks and played two games with Houston before his release on Tuesday afternoon.

He caught three passes for 24 yards, including one against the Los Angeles Chargers during the wild-card round for a pickup of 12.

While the hope was for Johnson to take over as the potential No. 2 option, challenges were presented from the jump. After being picked up in Week 17, Johnson didn’t see the field until the regular-season finale against the Tennessee Titans.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud only played one drive before leaving for the remainder of the game. Outside of a few practices, the two were never on the same page.

But tension rose following Saturday’s win. During the open locker room session,  Johnson was seen visibly upset sitting in his locker. He seemed frustrated because of a lack of playing time and targets.

Running back Joe Mixon and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair tried to comfort and encourage him. Two days later, he was waived.

Houston was the fourth Johnson had joined since the start of the 2024 NFL season. The Pittsburgh Steelers first traded him in the offseason to the Carolina Panthers.

The Panthers then traded Johnson after seven games to the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 29. After seven games with Baltimore and a suspension, he was placed on waivers in late December.

According to reports, Johnson was frustrated with his limited role in Baltimore, which led to his refusal to play in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

According to The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M Alexander, Johnson “couldn’t get out of his own way” in Carolina, thus factoring into the trade.

In his two games with the Texans, Johnson played less than 30% of the team’s total offensive snaps. He can be picked up by another playoff team or clear waivers and sign with a new team that’s left in the postseason.

Johnson is an impending free agent, so he could be done until the offseason.

The Texans travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Chiefs in a rematch of Week 16. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT on ESPN and ABC.

DeMeco Ryans resuscitated the Texans’ playoff hopes by torturing Justin Herbert

DeMeco Ryans looked like a genius while embarrassing Justin Herbert in the Texans’ win.

All year long, DeMeco Ryans’ Houston Texans were a picture of inconsistency and rhythmless football.

At times, they looked like a classic AFC South division champion. They were a team qualifying for the NFL’s postseason by default, almost out of pity with the league’s seeding format prioritizing division winners. No one on the outside looking in had much faith in a deep Houston playoff run.

After the Texans embarrassed Justin Herbert’s Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Wild Card game on Saturday, you can toss that narrative out the window. Thanks to Ryans’ steady hand and guidance at the helm of a relentless, well-schooled Houston defense, the Texans upended everyone’s expectations.

Herbert was probably among those with low expectations of these Texans.

But Ryans’ stalwart defense forced the prolific Chargers quarterback into the worst game of his career:

At the start, it looked like the Chargers would coast over a seemingly inferior opponent. L.A. engineered a scoring drive on each of its first two possessions without much resistance from a Houston defense playing on skates on a turf field. The Texans looked like they were ready to roll over.

Instead, Ryans ensured that his defenders simply got their feet wet before pinning their ears back. After those two initial Chargers’ field goal drives, the Texans’ defensive performance regarding a shaky Herbert was akin to Montgomery Burns’ vicious hounds chasing a desperate Bart Simpson around his mansion’s premises.

Frankly, Herbert is lucky he got over the fence with a significant hole in his blue shorts as the only real long-term damage because he had no answer.

All told, the Texans neatly packed Herbert in a tight box on nearly every chance they got. The Chargers’ quarterback was pressured 19 times, hit nine others and was sacked on four occasions on just 32 pass attempts. He was pressured on 50 percent of his dropbacks, a mind-boggling number that speaks to Houston’s complete dominion over the line of scrimmage.

In any instance where it felt like the Chargers could maybe, perhaps, start building some momentum, the Texans snuffed it out. An awry pressure from the interior by Denico Autry. Will Anderson Jr. continually running circles around Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. A late blitz that caught Herbert off guard when his receivers couldn’t get open.

It didn’t matter.

In one way or another, Herbert spent most of his second career playoff game lying on the turf.

He spent the rest of it throwing backbreaking interceptions. As Ryans’ pass rush came in waves, it rattled Herbert to the point of looking like he was seeing ghosts. At times, he waited a beat too late — long enough for some Houston defensive lineman to come in and rock his world. In others, Herbert began forcing the issue in a manner that suggested he had the yips. He threw the ball short of the sticks in high-leverage situations. His accuracy was off enough to let Texans defenders recover and take away throwing windows.

When a frenzied Herbert started forcing the issue, exhausted from a game’s worth of unstoppable pressures, he started giving Texans defensive backs a bunch of generous gifts.

This one over Ladd McConkey’s head on a basic curl route sealed the deal:

Let’s not get any of this twisted. Herbert did not meet the moment on Saturday. The Chargers will have to reevaluate how they support him moving forward.

But he’s not the main story here. He didn’t play poorly just because he didn’t come “ready to play” in some rote cliché. The bulk of his uninspiring play came at the hands of a shutdown Texans defense that flat-out flexed its muscles over and over while gradually turning Herbert into a fine paste. This was an overmatched quarterback meeting a confident defensive unit galvanized by its mastermind of a head coach. The ensuing carnage is usually what we see when that happens.

Saturday night in Houston was not a referendum on Justin Herbert.

It was a validation of Ryans’ ambitious vision for the Texans and his status as a genuinely elite NFL coach.

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5 reasons Chargers should feel good about facing Texans in wild-card round

The Chargers head into the playoffs on a three-game winning streak and will look to win on the road to advance to the divisional round.

In the first season under Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers return to the postseason as a five-seed. They headed into the Week 5 bye with a 2-2 record, but they were able to go 9-4 after the week off.

With an 11-6 record, they will face the Texans this weekend. Here are five reasons why Chargers fans should feel confident ahead of this weekend’s game in Houston.

Trajectory of team

As the 2024 season has progressed, the Chargers have only gotten better. Coming into the playoffs, they are playing arguably the best football of the season. All phases of the team complement each other well, led by the NFL’s best defense and an elite-level quarterback. They come into the postseason with three straight victories and will look to make it four against the Texans on Saturday.

Texans’ injuries at wide receiver

The Texans have lost a ton of firepower in the last few months. Before the season, they had arguably the best wide receiver trio in all of football. First, four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs tore his ACL back in Week 8. Then, Tank Dell suffered a serious season-ending knee injury in Week 16. It has left the Texans offense with limited weapons recently, and it bodes well for the Chargers. They will be able to focus on top wideout Nico Collins, albeit that is still easier said than done.

C.J. Stroud’s struggles

Stroud has not been the same quarterback in his second NFL season. After an impressive rookie campaign, many expected him to take another step in Year 2. That didn’t quite happen, as his 12 interceptions were tied for fourth-most in the NFL. Stroud threw just 20 touchdowns across 532 pass attempts, and his numbers took a dip across the board. While he’s still a talented quarterback, the Chargers secondary will have the opportunity to capitalize on some of his mistakes in this one.

Strength on strength

The Texans have a lethal pass-rushing duo in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. The two have combined for 23 sacks in 2024, and the team as a whole is tied-for-fourth in the NFL in sacks with 49. Fortunately, the Chargers have the perfect offensive tackle duo to counter those two. Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater have been exceptional all season, with the former being selected to his second Pro Bowl. This is all assuming that Slater plays this weekend, as his status still seems up in the air after missing the regular season finale.

A healthy J.K. Dobbins

This team’s running game was nonexistent without Dobbins in the lineup. In his two games since returning, the veteran has run the ball 37 times for 139 yards and a touchdown. Now, they at least have some balance on the offensive side of the ball. That will only open things up for Justin Herbert and the passing game, an aspect of the Chargers that has flourished over the last few months.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans shares early thoughts on ‘really well coached’ Chargers team

DeMeco Ryans knows the Los Angeles Chargers are more than your averaged wild card team.

Jim Harbaugh told reporters before leaving Las Vegas that Houston Texans would provide a challenge for the Los Angeles Chargers if they didn’t bring their “A-game” if they plan on winning this Saturday.

DeMeco Ryans offered a similar sentiment toward the roster coming in from California on Monday.

The Texans kickstart wild-card round weekend with a battle against Justin Herbert and a surging Chargers offense. The last time Harbaugh stepped foot in NRG Stadium, he walked out with a national title under his arm.

That’s a winning formula as translated to a team out west.

“We’re really excited about this matchup versus the Chargers,” Ryans said Monday. “Really well-coached football team. You can see Coach (Jim) Harbaugh’s imprint on the football team instantly. Just how sound they are, in all three phases, really sound football team.”

Headlined by Justin Herbert, the Chargers are riding a three-game winning streak to close out 2024. After suffering a season-ending injury in 2024, Hebert rebounded, leading the NFL in touchdown-to-interception ratio (23:3) while bolstering a 101.7 passer rating.

“Justin Herbert is one of the better quarterbacks in the league, “Ryans said. “He’s done a really good job of just protecting the football. He doesn’t turn the ball over a lot, and that’s a lot to be said for a quarterback who does that. Really puts his team in really good situations. They move down the field. They’re good on third down.”

While Herbert is the headliner, rookie Ladd McConkey has been the scene-stealer as Los Angeles’ top weapon. The second-round pick out of Georgia was a consistent threat in the slot, leading the Bolts in receptions (82), receiving yards (1,149) and explosive plays (15).

McConkey also finished with seven touchdown receptions while averaging 14.0 yards per catch.

“He’s an elite route runner, very shifty, moves all over the place,” Ryans said. “You can tell they have that instant connection between McConkey and Herbert. And it’s a real connection. He’s all over the field, making plays for him, catching a lot of footballs and he’s a dynamic player.”

Defensively, Los Angeles enters NRG Stadium boasting the NFL’s top defense in points per game (17.7) and opposing red-zone touchdown percentage (44.6%). With a combination of Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, the Bolts also rank top-five in opposing third-down conversion percentage (35.7%) and sack (46).

The pass-rushing duo might be the least of Houston’s worries. All-Pro defensive back Derwin James is the target the Texans must eliminate if they plan on finding the end zone.

“We’ve got to find Derwin James. He’s all over the place,” Ryans said. “You talk about blitzing, safety, nickel, whatever position you want to call it. Derwin is playing lights-out and he’s an impact player. We have to have awareness for where he is at all times.”

Kickoff on Saturday afternoon is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The game will be nationally televised on CBS and Paramount+.

Texans far from concerned with standings in AFC playoffs

The only win-loss record that matters for the Texans is the one on the upcoming gameday against their future opponent.

The Houston Texans can only control what’s ahead.

That includes a victory in Week 18 over the Tennessee Titans to secure a 10-win season.

That includes responding in the wild-card round when they host a playoff game against the top-ranked wild-card roster.

Looking back at a 31-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens won’t do anyone good. Neither is looking back on the previous four losses in six games after starting the year off 6-3.

Houston might have a 9-7 record, but it’s a division winner. That’s all that matters entering the regular season finale.

“The records really don’t concern me,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday. “I never go into a game thinking about a team’s record, whether it’s a winning or losing record. Every week it’ll be about how you show up to the game and how you play within those three and a half hours.”

The previous three hours of play will be one Houston hopes to forget. After trailing by 10, the Texans forced a safety on All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. The offense drove once more and landed inside Baltimore’s 5 with a chance to tie the game.

But back-to-back underwhelming play calls led to a turnover on downs at the 1-yard line. Three plays later, Lamar Jackson found Mark Andrews for a 67-yard gain.

Two plays after that, the MVP candidate connected with Isaiah Likely for a 9-yard score and extended the lead to 15.
Ryans, who has Houston in the playoffs, said that regardless of records, it’s about the team that afternoon.

“It just matters are you the best team within that time frame,” Ryans said. “The records really don’t matter and definitely doesn’t matter when you go into the playoffs. Just all about looking internally and playing your best.”

Houston hopes to be the better team next Sunday at Nissan Stadium against the three-win Titans. The plan is for it to carry over into the second week of January.