Aug 9, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams coach Sean McVay reacts against the Dallas Cowboys in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Texans' Defense Lands Notable Praise From Rams' Sean McVay

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Sep 4, 2025 1:08 PM ET

The Houston Texans will get the motions off their 2025 campaign finally kicked off on Sunday amid their short West Coast road trip to face the Los Angeles Rams for their season opener in a matchup that's set to be a major test for both sides on each end of the field.

But perhaps the most exciting battle to ensue on Sunday between Houston and LA will be that of a Sean McVay-led Rams offense taking on a DeMeco Ryans-led Texans defense; two young and dynamic play-callers for their respective sides of the ball, and they have the personnel to execute as well.

And in the mind of McVay, that Texans defense is one that this Rams scoring unit will have to respect, thanks to both the talent Houston has on the field, and on the sidelines in the form of Coach Ryans.

"They're good on paper, and they're good on tape," McVay said during Wednesday's Rams practice. "DeMeco's a guy that I've always had a ton of respect for. There's a very clear-cut philosophy. They've got the personnel to match how they want to be able to play, with the way that their front rolls off the football. They've got dominant players on the second and third levels, they've got elite players on the outside."

It's a Texans defense that can excel in multiple ways. They have the power to dominate upfront with an elite edge tandem in Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, a powerful secondary led by an All-Pro corner in Derek Stingley Jr., and a versatile back-end that will have multiple talented names to throw into the mix.

Inevitably, it could be a powerful Texans defense that rises atop the league as one of the best in the NFL for 2025, and clearly, McVay and his staff have taken notice of what Houston has to offer before getting the first look in Week 1.

"[Derek] Stingley gets much-deserved recognition, and I think [Kamari] Lassiter's an excellent corner opposite of him. [Jalen] Pitre's as good of a nickel as there is in terms of the physicality... Obviously, their edge guys get a deservingly so, a bunch of recognition. and they have a full rotation of guys inside and outside that we've got to be ready to go for."

"It's a great defense. You see why all the praise they get is certainly well-earned and deserved, and we've got our work cut out for us, and that's what we love."

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

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