Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans watches a play against Detroit Lions during the second half at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, August 23, 2025. Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Texans' DeMeco Ryans Weighs In on Lamar Jackson Injury Concern

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Oct 1, 2025 7:00 PM ET

The Houston Texans will be up against a road challenge for their Week 5 matchup on the horizon, facing the Baltimore Ravens, and looking to rattle off their second-straight victory following their latest shutout victory from the weekend before.

But in the lead-up to the Texans' upcoming tilt vs. the Ravens, Baltimore has been banged up on both sides of the ball, which puts several starters' status up in the air, including starting quarterback and two-time league MVP, Lamar Jackson, who was a DNP in the Ravens' first team practice of the week with a hamstring injury.

Of course, Lamar's impact in any game he's on the field in is nearly unmatched. From the way he can move the ball down the field as a quarterback, to his unprecedented ability as a runner to command the attention of any opposing defense, he's a tough stop for any unit he's going against on a weekly basis, and would be a major blow to the Ravens' offensive attack this wekeend.

But in terms of the approach Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans is taking towards Jackson's pending absence, the preparation remains the same. When factoring in the playmakers the Ravens have placed around their star quarterbac, it makes the task of stopping them a bit tougher even if he's not on the field.

"You have to be aware of everyone," Ryans said ahead of the Texans' matchup vs. the Ravens. "Of course, we all understand Lamar and the caliber of player he is. He's an outstanding player; one of the best players in this league, one of the best players of this generation. He changes the game tremendously, and he's done an outstanding job with that team.

"They still [have] explosive players who Lamar's getting the football too. If [Cooper] Rush has to come in and play, he still has very capable guys he can get the ball to."

For Ryans and his defense, the key to their preparation leans on one critical factor: refining their details. Whether or not Jackson's in the mix, that point of emphasis remains at the forefront.

"It doesn't really matter to us. We just have to be on the details when it comes to the defense and how we play. We have to play our style, we have to rep our style every single snap. We do that, and we play together, we play with awareness," Ryans continued.

"From our defensive line, linebackers, to all of our guys in the back-end. Everybody has to be aware, play with great eye discipline. That's how you go out and you play good defense against this team."

Jackson's Week 5 status vs. the Texans, which is currently yet to be official, will become clearly outlined in due time, but for Ryans, the task is simple: be aware and mindful of the details, no matter who's on the field.