Here’s everything Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Wednesday ahead of Week 4’s showdown against the Tennessee Titans, including a statement on C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s release, progression of the offense and early thoughts on No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
DeMeco Ryans: “I know everyone saw the news where we released ‘Ceedy’ [C.J. Gardner-Johnson]. I wish ‘Ceedy’ the best. Unfortunately, we just moved on. For me, every decision I make is always in the best interest of our team. I felt it was the best decision for us to move forward. So, now we’re here. We’re on to the Titans.
Q: On why he thought it was in the best interest of the team to release S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Ryans: “It’s my decision to move on, I know it’s best for my team.”
Q: On if S C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s release was performance related
Ryans: “I’m not going to go into all the details of it. Coming from me, the Head Coach, it was the best for our team. That’s why I made the decision, so I’m not going into any further details on it.”
Q: On if they sought out a trade for S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Ryans: “No.”
Q: On how the move improves the team
Ryans: “Today we had a really great practice, getting started with the Titans. [They are a] Really good team. Their young quarterback has done a really nice job. We’re seeing that they’ve changed play callers. They’re making some changes as well. But I’m excited for this next opportunity. We get another opportunity here at home. Collectively as a team, we’re excited about going out and playing better. That’s what we’re looking forward to. That’s what we’re focused on. We had a really great day of practice today. Great energy, great deliberate work from our coaches, from our players. Everybody’s just dialed in to what we need to do to go get a win.”
Q: On S M.J. Stewart and S Calen Bullock
Ryans: “M.J. stepped in, M.J.’s played ball for us and he’s gone out and played well. So, M.J. will definitely get some reps at safety and I know M.J. will do a great job with it.”
Q: On establishing a culture since he’s first got here
Ryans: “For me, I have a great pulse of our team. I know our locker room. I know what’s going on with and around our team. I’m always keen and aware of what’s going on. That’s what it should be as a head coach. It’s always my first rule or a team rule for our guys, always protect the team. It starts with me as a head coach to making sure everybody is on the same page with having a team first mentality. I’ve said that from my opening press conference here and that’ll always be me. It’ll always be about the team. It’ll never be about one person. It’ll never be about me personally. It’s collectively as a team, that’s how you go win. That’s how you do great things. You do great things with everybody collectively working together, being on the same page and doing it with a joyful spirit, joyful attitude. That’s what I always stand on.”
Q: On his experience as a player helping with gauging the locker room
Ryans: “I think it’s just having the emotional intelligence just to feel out the room, feel out everything. So, it’s just being a player, coach, everything goes into play there, of me making the decisions that I make. It’s not just being a player but having my eyes open.”
Q: On how did he shared the news with the team
Ryans: “For our team today, I just want us to get back to the basics of what is going to take to win the game, not get into all the noise that goes on on the outside. Whatever that is, whatever is written, whatever is said about our team, I just want our guys to get back to the basics of what it takes to win. That’s how you prepare. It’s how you execute. How do you own your fundamentals? How do you own your techniques? When we do those things the right way, that’s all that matters. So, I just wanted to re-center, refocus our guys and come to a point of what truly anchors us as a team. It’s those things. If we are detailed in our preparation, if we execute well, if we play the right way, we attack the ball, we protect the ball, we protect the team, we’re going to be just fine. I just wanted to reset our team in that manner and that was the message for them today.”
Q: On the team’s attitude this week
Ryans: “Our guys have a great attitude out on the field today. Working intentional, working fast, got done with practice faster than expected. Everybody’s executing really well today. I just told the guys at the practice [I’m] really proud of the way that they worked. You can feel the energy, you can feel how guys are moving around, how guys are on it with their assignments and where they’re supposed to be. So, really proud of the work we put in today. That’s what you have to do, control the day. We controlled today the right way. So, I’m excited to go watch it, correct the things we need to correct, and let’s come out and have another great day tomorrow.”
Q: On if the players were surprised by the decision to release S C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Ryans: “I don’t think it was a surprise. If it is, that’s the league. It’s always surprises each and every year in the league. So, if it’s a surprise to them, it’s okay. Everybody will be all right. A quick reset for everybody, refocus on what we need to focus on. Again, as I spoke about, we’re moving forward to how we can focus on beating the Titans. Again, it’s not about one person. It’s about our team going and trying to win a game.”
Q: On an update on CB Derek Stingley Jr. and T Tytus Howard
Ryans: “‘Sting’ didn’t go today. ‘Sting’ is still dealing with his oblique injury. He’s still day-to-day. Tytus has had an illness today. Hopefully, we’ll see him out there tomorrow.”
Q: On how the culture can help with an up and down season
Ryans: “The culture that I’ve set here, the thing about it is…couple years, it hasn’t changed. So, the guys that have been here, the guys who know what I said on day one, I haven’t changed. I haven’t wavered on my message and my mindset on how to run a team. We’re going to do it with guys who play with great energy, guys who are relentless, guys who want to work. I will never change that. I always stand on that because I know it works. If you have special people who work with a special mindset, we can go and attack anything.”
Q: On Tennessee Titans QB Cam Ward
Ryans: “Cam, the thing that jumps out on tape when I put it on is he has a live arm. Very talented player. Athletic, moves around, can extend plays, and he can throw the ball a mile. So, we have to make sure we’re plastering in coverage. You got to make sure you’re covering guys twice, because his athletic ability to move around, extend plays, throwing the ball across field, making some wow factor plays. So, we go to do a great job as a rush unit of trying to keep him contained as best as we can.”
Q: On where QB C.J. Stroud is physically and emotionally
Ryans: “Meeting with C.J. this week, I feel like he’s in a really great spot mentally, clear mind and understanding, ‘I got to play better.’ He understands that and that’s the first step to making strides and getting better is understanding and admitting like, ‘Hey, I know I have to play better so the team can be better.’ Let’s go. So, I’m excited to see him press forward, go play better and excited to see everybody around him play better as well.”
Q: On what he wants to see from the offense this week
“I just want to see our offense go out and just play a clean game. That’s not having the silly penalties, things that we control, pre-snap penalties, those things. Can we just play a clean game, and can we just stay on schedule? Can we operate, not from a third-and-long, second-and- long position? Can we just stay on schedule? Can we make positive plays on first down to get the drive started? For a couple weeks here in a row, we just haven’t seen who we can be because we haven’t started the right way. So, I just want to see our offense go out, get off to a great start and continue to start drives in a positive manner to help us be in manageable second down situations. Let’s skip some third downs and then let’s get into some manageable third downs as well if that opportunity presents itself. But let’s go out, let’s play on time, let’s play efficient and let’s play fast and physical.”
On T Aireontae Ersery’s performance
Ryans: “As a rookie, Tae’ stepped in, and he’s done a really nice job as a rookie. We know, and he admitted it, he had a rough game versus a really good player. That’s to be understood. When you’re going against a tough player, they’re going to make some plays as well. But, ‘Tae’ has done a really good job, and he’ll keep getting better. He plays with the right mindset. He shows up every day, works every day the right way. He’ll continue to get better because his mind is set on getting better. So, I’m proud of what he’s done so far in his first three weeks in the NFL.”
Q: On Tennessee Titans DL Jeffery Simmons
Ryans: “That guy, that’s a problem. Jeffrey is an outstanding player. He’s definitely one of the best players, one of the best defensive linemen, defense tackles in the league right now. You talk about a guy playing with a relentless motor, physicality, he’s not stopping. So, for us as a front, offensive line, we got to do a great job of being aware of where he is. We got to make sure he’s always accounted for. We got to make sure that we got to strain to block him. You have to outwork him. It’s going to be a tough task because that’s what he’s about. He’s about outworking his opponents. So, we got to show up and let’s see how we’re going to show up against a really good player. Can we show up and outwork him? If our mind is right, we can. So, we know it’s going to be a challenge for four quarters because he’s going bring it. He’s the best player on their team. He’s been the best player on their team for a long time. We understand what we’re going up against.”
Q: On making hard decisions mid-season
Ryans: “It’s not hard for me to make decisions when it’s about my team. For me, as the head coach, you have to make what others may seem, feel is a difficult decision. But, whenever it’s about the team and I stick to my core values that it’s all about the team, any decision about it is easy for me. I know where we stand and I know what everybody here in our organization, on our team, in the locker room, I know what everybody stands for. I know what everyone is about. So, everyone’s looking at me to make the right decision. I’ll always do that for my players.”
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Everything Texans’ DeMeco Ryans said ahead of Week 4’s game vs. Titans
