Sep 7, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) passes the ball against the Atlanta Falcons during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Baker Mayfield Praises Texans' DeMeco Ryans Ahead of MNF

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 12:46 PM ET

The 0-1 Houston Texans head into Monday Night Football against a tough matchup in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who come off the heels of an exciting victory over the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, and will look to keep their road record at 2-0 heading into NRG Stadium for primetime action.

And rolling into the night, the Bucs won't be taking things lightly against the Texans.

Even while Houston may have started slow in Week 1 vs. the LA Rams, the consensus is well aware that the Texans not only have one of the more talented defenses in the NFL, both in the defensive trenches and the back end, but also a potent offense led by star quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Nico Collins that can spark at any moment.

But, beyond those names, when asking Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield about the expectations heading into Monday night, he circled one key figure on the Texans' sidelines to be a driving force in what Tampa Bay is walking into: third-year Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, whom he gave some major respect to in an interview with Bucs team reporter Casey Phillips.

"It starts with DeMeco Ryans," Mayfield said ahead of their matchup vs. the Texans. "Just the type of guy he is, the type of leader, a guy who was a successful NFL linebacker– he's going to demand that his guys play extremely hard, and that's the one thing I remember [from 2 years ago]... They [Texans defense] fly to the ball... It presents a tough task for us, but we'll see what we can do."

That game Mayfield references stems from the last time these two teams faced off in the regular season back in Week 9 of 2023, a game that ended in a Texans' victory, 39-37, where, while still being an intimidating outing vs. a tough Houston defense, it also resulted in a five-touchdown performance from C.J. Stroud.

But this time around, Houston could be even better on that side of the ball than Mayfield's last exposure was. It's the first time Tampa Bay will see star pass rusher Danielle Hunter in a Texans jersey, paired with a much-improved Will Anderson Jr. in year three, and even marks a first time the Bucs will see from Derek Stingley Jr., who was injured during their previous 2023 contest.

For Mayfield and this Bucs offense, it'll be about countering the intense pressure this Texans' swarming defense will have in store, while also besting a tough secondary led by a stout safety unit and one of the best corners in the league in the form of Stingley.

Time will tell if Tampa can overcome that task to start their year off 2-0, but for the Texans, especially defensively, they're sure to be hungry for a home opener win on their turf as well.