Detroit 26, Houston 23
Q. What didn't go right for you guys on offense in the second half? Another second half where you guys weren't able to score a touchdown?
DEMECO RYANS: Second half was not good enough for us. We didn't play winning football. We stalled on a lot drives and didn't score any points in the second half.
So to beat a good football team like that we have to be able to sustain drives. Have to be able to score points. We were going backwards way too much.
Q. Throughout the season kind of mentioned how you guys winning ugly and win is a win. Do you feel like that type of approach has kind of beat you guys down? (Indiscernible.) Do you feel like that approach has kind of backfired being able to put teams away?
DEMECO RYANS: The approach each week is to go win the game no matter how it looks. We don't set out to win an ugly game, but in this league every game comes down to you called that final possession. So you have to find way to gut those out and win.
We haven't been on the winning side of those games. Green Bay, you know, New York, and now Detroit. So we didn't make the plays to win the game. Like however you win you got to find a way.
To play to win games you got to have -- guys have to step up and make plays. That's not happening.
Q. Why do you think you all aren't having success in the second half of games?
DEMECO RYANS: Yeah, we have to look at that time. Second halves, we know we haven't moved the ball and scored points in the second half. Defensively done some things uncharacteristic in the second half.
Just have to find a way to play a complete game. That's what we have to find out.
Q. Coach, looked like CJ was off in the second half. Started out threw an interception; threw another in the red zone. What was it about his second half rhythm that didn't match the first half rhythm?
DEMECO RYANS: It's not good enough to turn the football over there, especially red zone or coming out. We talk about getting started in the second half and we talk about being better in the second half, but to come out and turn the ball over the first play of the second half and to get in the red zone where we have points and to turn the ball over, that's not winning football.
Q. You guys faced a lot of third and longs, especially in the second half. What do you think are the biggest factors to that, and how do you alleviate those issues?
DEMECO RYANS: We have to win first and seconds down. Too many negatives on first and second down. We didn't run the ball well. Only, what, 56 yards rushing the football.
So we didn't control the line of scrimmage when it came to running the football, which is what we've been doing a good job of.
When you don't play well on first and second down you find yourself in third and long, and it's hard to continuously win third and long.
Q. You talked about some things you guys could have done defensively in the second half, but you guys had five interceptions and weren't able to turn that into more points. What do you say about a second half where you get shut out? How do you address that?
DEMECO RYANS: I'm proud of the defense, for guys going out and getting five turnovers. I think that's a big day for any defense. You know, the thinking about turnovers is what are you doing with those turnovers. It's getting the points off the turnovers. That's how you swing the game.
I don't think we got enough points off the turnovers, but proud of the guys. That's a really good offense and our guys played well. Down the stretch there we just let some plays out that we have to play better.
Q. How frustrating can it be to get all those interceptions against really, really good offense and not be able to get a W?
DEMECO RYANS: Yeah, it's frustrating, of course, right, to play against that offense, high-powered offense and be able to take the football away, that's what we hang our hat on is taking the football. So we took the ball away, but it's about team football and we didn't play complementary football today. That's what wins games when you play complementary football and it didn't work out for us today.
Q. Coach, I know it's already week ten and I'm not asking you are you going to make any shake-ups as far as offensive playcalling, but what can be done to improve the playcalling in the second half?
DEMECO RYANS: We have to look at everything. It's our job to look at all the play calling, what we're doing, asking our guys to do, make sure we're putting them in a good spot to execute, and guys have to take ownership and make sure everybody's doing what they're supposed to do.
Q. You did mention the offensive line. How do you feel like that group played and do you feel like there is another need for a shake-up?
DEMECO RYANS: I think our guys protected well. Patterson in at center. Moved Juice over to guard. Communication was really up front. Thought the guys protected well enough for us to make some plays.
So I think the move was good there.
Q. ...because the offense had some issues and maybe was a quick turnaround for the defense that things start to pile of positively for the Lion on offense and maybe the defense got a little gassed there?
DEMECO RYANS: No, didn't get gassed. They got some runs on us. We weren't triggering fast enough at the second level. We stalled a little bit there defensively.
I think it was nothing about being tired or anything. Just us consistently executing. And that's what I believe in, just out-executing our opponent. When things got tight there at the end in the second half, just like we didn't execute. We had multiple opportunities to get off the field but we didn't make those plays.
Q. You mentioned about guys stepping up. What did you see in John Metchie? How did he help this offense?
DEMECO RYANS: Really proud of Metchie. He stepped up big for us. Got his first touchdown. Really big plays he made for us. So I mean, really love the play where he's blocking downfield. He played a really good game.
Excited to see him continue to improve off what he did tonight.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports