Texans 23, Colts 20
DEMECO RYANS: Fire away.
Q. Early in the first half, pressure was getting to CJ; turned things around. What did you feel like was happening in the first half and how did you make the adjustments in the second half?
DEMECO RYANS: First and foremost just really proud of our team and the way they battled today. We talked about how hard this was going to be. Tough opponent, divisional opponent, know each other well. They battle; really good team.
I'm proud of all our guys for finding a way to get the win. That's the most important thing when it comes to the pressure.
Whatever happened there, thought our guys did well. CJ finished with over 280 yards of passing, made great decisions with the football all day, kept us out of some bad plays.
Can't say enough about what CJ is doing and how he's leading this offense. So proud, very proud of him.
And just multiple guys stepping up and making plays. Hutch, Metch, Shultz, everybody. Everyone on offense stepped up and made plays.
Again, playing these guys knew it was going to be hard to stop the run. Joe, again, over 100 yards. Joe showed up big time for us when we needed him most making plays.
Q. Coach, what was the game plan going into this matchup to disrupt Anthony Richardson's rhythm?
DEMECO RYANS: Our game plan is always about us and that's the main thing. If we play our defense the proper way, if we're where we're supposed to be, we make it difficult on the opposing quarterback no matter who it is.
So really proud of our guys for the way they covered, but also more so it goes to the D-line, a credit for them and how they rush together. Got five sacks. I know Richardson wasn't sacked a lot before coming into this game. We were able to get him down five times. Multiple times we had pressure on him.
Credit goes to the D-line the way they got after it up front Danielle, Will, Settle was in on the action of applying pressure on the quarterback.
Q. Obviously got some things fixed today; it showed. How big is that when you have another game in four days?
DEMECO RYANS: For us, as we evaluate each game it's always an internal look at us and how we can play better. Wins, losses, it doesn't matter. We go back and look at it closely to see where we can improve.
Even today there were a lot of things, right, that we can clean up and play much better. Happy to come out with the win, but it'll always be things to clean up.
As the season moves forward it's about our team getting better. If we can continue to get better each week we'll be in a really good spot.
Q. Can you just talk about how every time (indiscernible) play on defense or offense somebody stepped up and how that's the spirit of this team?
DEMECO RYANS: It's a team-first mentality. Like I tell our guys, doesn't matter who makes the play. Doesn't matter who gets the credit. It's not about credit. It's not about one person. It's about the entire team.
Today it took everyone and that's what makes me more proud as a coach. When you have different guys stepping up in all phases of the game, different guys stepping yeah, guys battling all week, soreness, you know, injuries but guys stepping up and just going out and making plays for the team.
Nobody is looking for a pat on the back. That's just how we operate and how we do. And I love that about our team because that's our team culture. Team first over everything.
Q. Obviously Stefon Diggs went down early. If he's not able to play how big of a loss is losing a guy like him?
DEMECO RYANS: Unfortunate to see Stef go down there. He's still being evaluated for a knee so we'll find out further information as the week goes on.
Q. Coach, how big was Eric Murray for the defense today? He made a lot of plays down the field. Really did a good job making sure the ball stayed in front of him. I know you said a lot of guys, not one player recognition.
DEMECO RYANS: I thought Eric did a really nice job to get his hands on three passes there and bat them down. Really good job by Eric, and just in the tackling, everything he did a really good job for us.
Not only Eric, having Kamari back was huge for us and the way he competed and made plays. Stingley, thought he did a great job. Had some guys there that were open. Stingley was playing with unbelievable effort to make a couple plays on the ball there.
So our back end just all those guys stepped up and made plays.
Q. ... suffered injury. If he's good to go, will he be about your left guard or do you like what Kenyon did in the second half to retain that spot?
DEMECO RYANS: We'll keep evaluating our offensive line and see where our guys are.
Q. Can you talk about CJ? Lost your front line of receivers, bit seemed like there was no dropoff because he just seemed like (indiscernible) guy that was getting open. That progression in his maturation. Astonishing there.
DEMECO RYANS: You know, it's very impressive to watch CJ as a young quarterback. I talk about his calmness, his confidence, but it truly goes back to what I said earlier about it's our entire team. It's about executing the plays that are called, being where we are supposed to be. Doesn't matter who is the guy. He's not staring down one person. He's going through his progression, making the proper reads, and taking the guys that are open. Doesn't matter who it is.
Just goes through his vision and when we have protection and him being able to make accurate throws all across the field, so can't say enough great things about CJ and how he's continuing to grow as a quarterback.
Q. Can you talk about Jalen Pitre? Seems likes he's found his space in this defense in the way he's shown up. Seems like he's continue to go progress throughout the season?
DEMECO RYANS: Yeah, Jalen is our spark plug. He finds a way to be all over the field. Whether he's in a blitz or just being active in coverage. For him to get that interception there when they were backed up so we can get points, I mean, that was such a huge play.
You talk about play of the game. We needed it most. Kind of stalled on the offense, but for Jalen to get that pass -- wish he would've scored, but I'm proud of Jalen. He continues to get better. These past three weeks he's playing some of the best three weeks he's played for us.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports