DeMeco Ryans didn’t hold back after the Houston Texans‘ 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round, making it clear that they weren’t just playing against the Chiefs, but against “everybody.”
Ryans’ post-game comments can be interpreted in various ways. He said, “We knew going into this game that it was us versus everybody… And I mean EVERYBODY.” However, he didn’t specifically mention whether referees were part of this “everybody.”
Ryans went on to say that in addition to the Chiefs, the Texans were also up against the “naysayers and doubters,” adding, “we had to go against that today.” However, the head coach also acknowledged that the mistakes made during the game were unacceptable, emphasizing the special teams’ failure to convert in critical moments.
The head coach also addressed the struggles of quarterback C.J. Stroud, admitting, “offensively, protecting the quarterback and keeping it clean.” During the game, the Texans allowed a total of 8 sacks for a loss of 58 yards.
Different opinions on the Texans vs. Chiefs game
Commentators like Richard Sherman noted Stroud’s strong performance in the early quarters of the game, but he also criticized the officiating. Another former player, J.J. Watt, didn’t hesitate to call one of the controversial calls—where Mahomes was barely touched but a roughing-the-passer penalty was called—unfair.
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DeMeco Ryans continues the strong run
This is the second consecutive year Ryans has led the Texans to the playoffs, with their deepest run reaching the Divisional Round, where they’ve lost twice—first to the Ravens in 2023. The Texans hadn’t made the playoffs since the 2018-2019 season.
