Emeco Ryans - Head Coach, texans Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-14 | Full transcript (primary source).
Emeco Ryans, Head Coach of the Texans, addressed the media during a press conference on September 14, 2026. The focus of the discussion was on the team's defensive performance and the need for improved execution to reduce explosive plays in upcoming games.
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Transcript
Ryans: To eliminate explosive plays, it starts by simply guys doing their job, being where they're supposed to be, whether it's coverage leverage or being outside, being inside, being on top, where we're supposed to be, how we're rushing, our rush plan, also all that ties in together. And we gave up, I think it was 11 or 12 explosive plays. And when you give up that many plays, you're gonna give up points. So we gotta do a much better job of just being where we're supposed to be, finishing how we're supposed to finish.
Ryans: Yeah, you definitely have to trust the process when it just comes to doing what we're supposed to do, granted the bills, they made some plays. They made some good catches, but we're not where we're supposed to be. We're gonna make it look even better. So it always starts with us about just doing the things that you're supposed to do to help you win the game.
Ryans: Tackling, it all starts with the mindset, right? How are you showing up with the physical mindset to put your pads on a guy, wrap, squeeze, and bring the guy down to the ground? So it starts there, just we're in position, just gotta finish him.
Ryans: When it comes to our defense and how we play, whoever's in the scheme, whether it's rookies or veterans coming into our scheme, it's nothing new that we're doing for us, things we've been doing since OTAs and training camp, so guys just have to do their job. There's no magical elixir that it takes to play defense for us. It's just guys being accountable, being where they're supposed to be, communicating the proper way, and just being on the same page.
Ryans: I would have loved to give David a game ball. First text in to start his debut with three touchdowns. I thought it was a very impressive game by him. Find a way to get in the end zone, off his line, blocked it really well. Just really encouraged with what he brings, what he provides, our offense. Talk about a guy who can be an explosive runner, physical runner. We needed yards. He was able to get positive yards even when the run may have been blocked for zero, he was able to get four and five yards on run. So that speaks to David and just how he plays the game.
Ryans: I don't know. You have to ask those guys about the hype, but I don't believe in hype. You've heard me stand here many times and talk about, people were talking about how great the defense was. Yeah, that was 2025. You don't just line up and it's 2026 and just because you were good last year, you got to go out and make the plays like we made plays.
Ryans: The difference in this game on Sunday versus the time we played the guys last year, we took the ball away three times. We go in this game, we don't take the ball away at all. We turn the ball over two times and we don't play smart defensively and we're not where we're supposed to be. So yeah, you do that to a good offense, right? We know the quarterback is gonna scramble out to our left. We don't stay out to our left and the quarterback runs for a touchdown.
Ryans: From the pass rush perspective, they did a good job of they chipped our ends, which is nothing new or out of the ordinary. We see that protection a lot. They chipped our guys and we just gotta continue to rush collectively and be on the same page with how we're rushing.
Ryans: I thought the pocket was pretty clean for most of the game. We had those two plays that we would like to have back but that will overshadow how good the protection was, how good the run blocking was.
Ryans: The goal line, it starts with our offensive line. So if our offensive line, we're on the goal line, if they put their man in the end zone and whoever is running the football will be able to gain a yard. So it starts with the offensive line, no matter who's running the football.
Ryans: Well, how I evaluate the game is, the game comes down to, guys being able to maximize their opportunities to make plays. And when you maximize your opportunity to make plays, and most of the times you're on the winning side of things, right? So from that standpoint, as I look at it, we had guys in position to make plays. We didn't make them.
Ryans: Kayshaun did a really good job with the snaps that he was given. He was able to get an explosive play for us there to put us in range to go score. Tight one there on the sideline. He was about to make a difficult catch. He's got to finish it to the ground. So I like where Kayshaun is.
Ryans: For everybody. It's just a constant improvement for everyone on our offense. I think everybody, every skill player touched the football yesterday, which is cool to see.
Ryans: To start with special teams, I would give credit first and foremost with Kai and how he came in, how he punted for us. He did an outstanding job of giving us some backed up opportunities.
Ryans: The challenges for this week going against Cincinnati, again, well coached football team. We know they have an explosive offense. They're receivers and the quarterback. They've done a really great job over the past few years, right, of making those explosive plays.
Ryans: We'll see. We haven't made a decision yet. We'll see how it goes.
Ryans: The improvement I've seen from our offense, it started in OTAs. It continued in training camp and it showed the first game of the season.
Ryans: Jake Hummel had a growing injury, so it'll be week to week.
Ryans: We didn't force the third downs because we played poorly on those second, I think it was mainly second down plays. We played poorly.
Ryans: Yeah, that's when they got us.
Unknown: What do you think led to those and how can you guys stop those going forward?
Unknown: How can, when you're in OTAs and training camp, work on tackling?
Unknown: How difficult can it be for new guys coming to your defensive scheme?
Unknown: The Bills run many different plays than they ran previously when y'all last played them. It was pretty much the same plays that they ran before and they executed well. How much does David Montgomery add to your team and what happened yesterday? What you envisioned in a perfect world when you got it?
Unknown: Think our guys, I know our guys ran the ball really well. Starting with the offensive line, how they finish their blocks, our tight ends, how they block. It's collectively, we did a really good job running the football now. And we threw the ball well too. CJ did a good job and we threw the ball well. I mean, we had our way offensively the way those guys move the ball up and down the field.
Unknown: Last week, Will talked about rap poison and there was a lot of hype about the defense heading into the season. After an uncharacteristic performance like that, do you think it's possible that maybe they bought into their hype?
Unknown: Do well to slow down the pass rush in this game. From the pass rush perspective, they did a good job of they chipped our ends, which is nothing new or out of the ordinary. We see that protection a lot. They chipped our guys and we just gotta continue to rush collectively and be on the same page with how we're rushing.
Unknown: Unfortunately, Henry, shoulder injury, he'll be out for some time now. It seemed like the biggest area. Some critical moments where some things you think can be improved to have the pocket a little cleaner for CJ who had a good game.
Unknown: From your perspective, how much does the fact that if, let's say Kamara catches the interception, or if you guys pick up the fumble. Or if Reed makes the interception, intercepts that pass down the sideline. A bunch of plays that obviously you guys could have made. How much does that factor into how you evaluate the game?
Unknown: Again, Kayshaun, so late in training camp. Did that play factor into his lack of snaps on yesterday?
Unknown: How long those lines, do you see Jalen Noel with his progression? Do you see more out there for him going forward?
Unknown: What's your initial teams? Return and coverage standpoint. Not necessarily Kai and Kaimi. But on kickoff, coverage, and return. Did it feel like you guys kind of left some yards out there on both sides?
Unknown: Talk to us a bit good in the second.
Unknown: You mentioned Henry going to be out for some time. Do you expect him to go on the injury return?
Unknown: You talked to training camp about the way that you've seen CJ evolve and the way that you see him become more comfortable, especially in the second year in this offense. And you can see where him and Nick have started to make that connection to move this offense forward. Was that something that you've seen on yesterday?
Unknown: Do you have an update on Jake Hummel?
Unknown: From your perspective, what the Bills, they didn't see a third down in the second quarter. What do you think was the biggest contributing factor to that?
