DeMeco Ryans Reveals How Coaching Staff Has 'Grown' Since Week 1 vs. Ravens

Coach DeMeco Ryans believes the growth he has seen in his coaching staff has the Houston Texans on the verge of completing a playoff upset against the Ravens.

HOUSTON — A lot has changed since the last time the Houston Texans were in Baltimore to face the Ravens. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has put together one of the greatest seasons by a rookie quarterback in league history, while the Texans have emerged as a future powerhouse.

But one of the most significant improvements that has taken place since the Texans' Week 1 defeat at M&T Bank Stadium has been the growth and development of coach DeMeco Ryans and his staff.

Ryans revealed that the first-day jitters did get to him and his staff during Houston's early season defeat to the Ravens. But four months later, Ryans and his staff are well-adjusted to the challenges that come with being an NFL coach.  

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans in a 2024 AFC wild card game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium / Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

"I feel like as a coaching staff, we’ve really grown, just in our communication and how we operate on gameday," Ryans said. "I feel like we’re much more efficient, and not overly excited when things happen or, ‘Hey, that’s a penalty.’ Everybody’s more calm, everybody understands what to expect on gameday. We’ve grown in the aspect of just working with each other and working off of each other really well."

Ryans has put together an impressive staff within his first season at the helm in Houston. His offensive coordinator, Bobby Slowik, is a hot candidate for several teams and their head coaching vacancies. Thursday afternoon, Slowik completed virtual interviews with the Carolina Panthers and Tennessee Titans.

'Laser-Focused' C.J. Stroud Ready for Ravens

The Texans are serious underdogs entering their Divisional Round contest against the Ravens on Saturday afternoon. However, the mindset and belief Ryans and his staff have instilled in Houston has the Texans believing they can pull off one of the greatest upsets in franchise history.

"I always want the team to just play football how I see football – how I think it should be played," Ryans said. "I think football should be played with passion, I think it should be played with energy, and I think, when you get the opportunity to do it, you should give everything you have to the game because you don’t know when your last play will be."