Aug 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans coaches against the Carolina Panthers in the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

DeMeco Ryans Shares Thoughts on Nick Chubb's Texans Debut

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Sep 8, 2025 4:59 PM ET

The Houston Texans, while unable to take home a win in their first game of the 2025 NFL season in a 9-14 loss vs. the Los Angeles Rams, didn't leave without a few positive takeaways from their Week 1 action.

One of those bright spots for Houston centers upon what was seen out of running back Nick Chubb during his first game in a Texans uniform. The free agent signing earlier this offseason led the way in the backfield with the majority of the carries, logging 13 attempts for 60 yards, averaging out to a solid 4.3 yards per carry on the day.

A relatively strong debut for the Texans running back in the season opener, and after the game, head coach DeMeco Ryans noted that they'd love to see Chubb get going in the run game more moving forward.

"We'll go back and look at the film," Ryans said during his post-game presser. "I've seen a couple of runs where Nick definitely ran the ball well. Did a good job of gaining some yardage, which we've seen him do multiple times. I'm not surprised at any one. Nick's a great player, and of course, we'd love to see him get going more."

Chubb did still share some work among rookie Woody Marks, and veterans Dameon Pierce and Dare Ogunbowale in the backfield, with each gaining at least two carries a piece, and most of any receiving work going their way as well.

However, even with that trio getting some run, it was clear who first-year offensive coordinator Nick Caley was leaning toward as the lead back of his group, especially in the fourth quarter when Chubb had three-straight handoffs to gain 25 yards, putting the Texans within striking distance before Ogunbowale's eventual fumble.

Another area in which Chubb excelled on the day was his pass-blocking.

Pro Football Focus graded Chubb with an 80.2 pass-blocking grade during his Week 1 performance in LA, the best of the Texans' entire offense. Sure, it was only in five total pass blocking snaps to his name, but nonetheless, it's certainly a plus for Houston's pass protection, that's faced a fair share of questions.

In all, it was a noticeable step forward in efficiency from Chubb compared to how he finished his last season with the Cleveland Browns; one where he only averaged 3.3 yards per attempt, and showed clear signs of limitations following his devastating leg injury just one season prior.

But with a full offseason of recovery and spending a few months in the Texans' facility, Chubb took the field in his first regular-season game since December to look pretty impressive, averaging over four yards a carry in an offensive line that faced its challenges throughout the day, giving some added hope for what this Joe Mixon-less run game could look like moving forward, however long that may be.