The Houston Texans finished off their 18-game regular season schedule by posting a 10-7 record, good enough to clinch first place in the AFC South. Quarterback CJ Stroud had to leave the game early due to a minor injury, leaving backup Davis Mills to lead the team to a 23-14 win over the Tennessee Titans. They will host the Los Angeles Chargers and quarterback Justin Herbert on Saturday, January 11. During his Monday press conference, Texans Coach DeMeco Ryans discussed how the season ended, and what he expects from his team’s first-round opponent in the NFL Playoffs.
Texans Coach Prepares for the Post-Season
Can Houston Get Hot and Be a Postseason Spoiler?
The Houston coach has now led his squad to two straight 10-win seasons and consecutive division titles. As he addressed the media on Monday morning, he showed an air of measured enthusiasm about returning to the playoffs.
“We’re here now, let’s go play,” Ryans said. “For me, nothing else matters. It’s how you’re playing right now. Are you playing your best ball going into the playoffs? That’s what matters most. And are you able to consistently keep up with that when you are in the playoffs? Can you continue to play good ball?”
He also admitted that his team cannot make costly errors against a team like the Chargers. The Texans have been guilty of a lot of unforced errors this year, including 12 interceptions from Stroud.
“Can we get the better scoring in the red zone, defending in the red zone, those little situational elements of the game?” Ryans asked. “Third down, red area. Those are the areas that we have to be good at in the playoffs because good teams aren’t going to make mistakes. You have to find a way to beat them.”
“You cannot have the mental mistakes here in the playoffs; you cannot have the penalties, all those things. Field position is definitely a huge battle and we have to win that battle each and every game and it’s even more paramount now. It’s just a matter of being on the details. Being confident in what we’re doing and going and playing.”
How Do the Teams Stack Up?
Both clubs are spearheaded by offensive attacks led by young, talented quarterbacks. Both Stroud (2023) and Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert (2020) have been named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year previously. And both have already faced their share of adversity in their young careers.
The two clubs also have often overlooked defenses. The Chargers finished 11th overall in The League, while Houston was ranked sixth. So, it’s a coin flip on whether this will be a game that’s won in the trenches or with fireworks in the sky at NRG Stadium on Saturday.
Main Image: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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