Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach Demeco Ryans stands on the sidelines during the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

DeMeco Ryans Sends Message to Texans After Clinching Playoffs

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Dec 28, 2025 9:29 AM ET

The Houston Texans, after a shaky 0-3 start to the season, have officially punched their ticket to this year's playoffs after logging their eighth-straight win of the year in Week 17 over the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-16, now rising to an impressive 11-5 record on the season with one game to go.

Going from three games under .500 in the first three weeks to now cemented in the playoff picture is a feat that's been rarely matched across NFL history, being only the sixth team-ever to go from 0-3 to a postseason berth; something that hasn't been done since 2018, when the Texans were the ones who made that climb once again.

It's an impressive climb up the ladder that head coach DeMeco Ryans made sure to give special praise to following the events of Houston's win over the Chargers, with the overarching message for the locker room simply being that this team did exactly what they needed to earn that playoff berth.

"My message to the guys is just congratulations to everyone, because you guys earned this," Ryans said postgame.

"Like, getting into the playoffs. It's not about an opinion or what somebody thinks.  Like, you have to earn your way into the playoffs, and our guys played winning football to get us in position to be in the playoffs."

Texans Clinch Third Straight Playoff Berth

While the Texans' defense has remained the Texans' calling card, it's been an all-around effort for this team to get where they are now.

The Texans' pass rush has been both dominant and restricting upfront. Their secondary, while facing some injuries, has rebounded well every week. The offensive side of the ball had to carry their weight as well in order to complement Houston's defensive firepower.

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Climbing that mountain to the playoffs after an 0-3 start was never going to be easy for the Texans, but for Ryans, with his group's ability to remain dedicated to their craft and continue to keep the joy of coming into the building every day, it's been a major help to fuel this group's playoff aspirations.

"Off the field, it's not a particular moment that the guys showed me that, 'Oh, this was our turning point.’ It's just– when you see the way our guys show up to work with joy every single day– everybody enjoys working together," Ryans said.

"Everybody enjoys the process of working, whether it's meetings, practice— when guys show up that way: with joy, smiles on their faces, excited to work, like, you can accomplish anything, and that's what I see from our guys, and that's why we're here now."

Now, the Texans have one game left on the regular season calendar to shake out the rest of the regular season before finding who they'll be matched up against in the Wild Card round––where the sky might just be the limit for what Houston can piece together for the postseason.

This article first appeared on Houston Texans on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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