DeMeco Ryans Raves About Texans’ Standout Defensive Pair

Ironically enough, for as cathartic as the 36-29 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars actually was, they can only truly capitalize upon it by putting it quickly behind them and moving on.

The key for coach Ryans will be to use the prime cuts of the victory to construct his next dish, but boiling down all the leftover bones will also be deemed equally as important.

"It may not look great from the onset, but it's that belief that I have in all these guys as their coach," Ryans said. "I know they can do it. I know we got great players. I know we have a great team. I'm always urging and pleading with them just to, 'Hey, let's just do it the right way. Let's execute the right way. Let's finish the right way because I know we're capable of doing it."

"That's what it looks like. When you just do the things you're supposed to do, you make the plays. It's fun film to watch. Hopefully, it's a confidence booster for everyone. When you do it the right way, we can win a lot of games."

It must have been getting pretty frustrating for Ryans to appear on a weekly basis– only to subsequently find himself saying the same old things about seeking far better levels of execution.

The thing is, Texans fans were beginning to feel their third-year head coach was turning into a one-trick pony who was only ever going to preach that his guys were in tune enough with the game plan to win.

Danielle Hunter, Will Anderson Make the Job Easier

Of course, Ryans has only just edged his talented squad barely back into the picture now that they're at the 4-5 mark, but plenty of hard graft is still required. Thankfully, pushing on with some wind in their sails will be a lot easier if the stellar defensive unit keeps on proving that it has a compelling case to be the best unit the league has to offer.

Ryans has the double-headed monster of Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr. coming off the edge with furious intent, which sets them up nicely for the stretch run.

"I'm happy I never played quarterback because I'll probably be taking a lot of sacks," Ryans admitted. "The way Will plays, we know the effort, the intensity that he plays with. Danielle, he was exploding off the ball yesterday, playing violent, not slowing down. That only works with the interior guys getting the right push."

"So, I thought our [defensive] tackles did a good job when we were able to push the pocket and they were able to collapse the edge. That's how the rush works together. Will and Danielle, they're definitely a scary force on the edge and two of the best edge rushers in the league. We're blessed to have both of those guys as rushers on our team."

Both Hunter and Anderson combined to register 4.5 sacks last Sunday on hapless Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but the general levels of chaos they caused suggest a whole lot more is yet to come.

To a large extent, you can forgive Ryans for beating his own drum a little about the fact that he always knew his stud guys would come good, and how, somehow, a big and emphatic win would finally come to light.

Even so, you have to turn the page extremely quickly in the brutal, cutthroat landscape of the NFL, and even when you think you've found the answer.