Houston - 37, Jacksonville - 17
DEMECO RYANS: Really proud of all of our guys today for playing complementary football. I think each phase made big time plays to help us win this game, starting with the special teams. Two game changing plays, a blocked field goal by Will, and then the return by Beck for a touchdown.
You're talking about special teams impacting the games, credit to Coach Ross and what he's done with that group. They're doing an outstanding job.
Offensively, guys played really well, improving on what we talk about correcting. Starting with the protection, our O-line really did a great job of protecting.
C.J., again, another impressive outing. Really good by him, the receivers, Tank, stepping up and making big time plays for us. Brevin making big time plays for us. Multiple guys making plays.
Felt like we ran the ball better today. That was our emphasis throughout the week of really running the ball. I thought D.P. ran the ball much better. Still want to keep improving, keep improving in the run game, but this is a great start for us from where we were.
Defensively, seeing our guys, they were flying around playing swarming football, which we like, attacking the football. Eric Murray, big hit, forcing the fumble. Cashman stepped up big for us today making some plays, recovering the fumble, interception on third down -- big game-changing plays.
I asked our guys before we went out, playmakers have to step up and make plays for us to win games in this league, and that's what our guys did today. We had a lot of playmakers, a lot of different guys stepping up in different spots making plays.
We had a great week of practice, and it resulted in a win. Those guys came out to work today.
Q. Another impressive outing by Stroud. How do you describe how he played today and what he means to this offense and what you maybe learned from him?
DEMECO RYANS: Everything starts with the quarterback. We have a good one who's done really good things. He's improved every week. That's what I really like and admire about C.J., he's dialed in to improving every week. He's not satisfied.
He's been a leader for us for the offensive unit, and it's impressive to see a young man go out and continue to get better each week and lead that group.
Q. I know this is a team win. I know it's all about the team, I get that. Do you personally though take a minute to reflect on the first win?
DEMECO RYANS: No, it's special. To get the first win is definitely special. I've been thinking about it for a long time, since we started, how would that first win be? It's a lot of work. I never lose sight of the grind and the work that it takes to win a game.
But I'm so proud of our guys. I'm happy for our guys and the work they put in to help us win this game. It's a credit to everybody. It's truly a team effort. I'm just thankful to be in this position to help lead these men.
Q. What were you thinking during the kick return? First Beck fumbles and then he runs with it. What went through your mind?
DEMECO RYANS: I saw it late. I was looking down. I didn't see it. I look up, and Beck is coming at me. Oh, he'll make this guy miss, and then he kept moving. Man, you look up, and it's a touchdown.
Very excited for Beck, and he owed us one. He missed a block there on the first kickoff return. He said he owed us one, but he paid back big time for us to get a touchdown there.
Q. With Tank Dell also being back in this home stint, talk about his every week improvement and what makes him dynamic.
DEMECO RYANS: Tank shows up every week. I know this game meant a lot to him being home and a lot of family attending the game. It was important for him to have a big game.
It's cool to watch Tank just every week. He shows up. He puts the work in. Explosive playmaker since OTAs, and it's still showing up right now in the season. Happy with where Tank is.
Q. C.J. is a great quarterback. He passed, (no microphone), no interceptions. What does that say about the competition he has in this league?
DEMECO RYANS: I think the sky's the limit for C.J. He just keeps his head down and keeps working. C.J. is a very humble young man, and he's all about the team. That's how you become successful in this league. It's not about one person, and C.J. understands that more than anyone else, and he understands how important it is as a team to play together.
So he keeps his mindset the way it is, he'll continue to improve, get better, and be a really good quarterback in this league.
Q. Did you feel like the momentum, it seemed like Jaguars started the second half pretty good and got the touchdown. Did you feel like the momentum changed at all at that point?
DEMECO RYANS: Came out second half, drove the ball down on us and scored. For us, we responded. Nobody blinked. Nobody panicked. That was good to see.
When bad things happen, how you respond. I thought our guys responded well. Guys kept pushing, they kept fighting. We made plays, right? Again, playing complementary football, that's how you win games. So I was happy and proud of our team for the way they responded when it didn't quite go our way.
Q. What did you think of the way the offensive line performed? No sacks this time. Just responded.
DEMECO RYANS: I think our offensive line played really well, keeping the quarterback clean, not giving up any sacks. They played well as a unit, and that's what it takes in protection. It takes all five guys playing together, tight ends, backs helping in protection, and the quarterback getting the ball out on time and where it needs to go.
So it's all 11 guys playing well, but it's really credit to Coach Strausser and the O-line for what they did today.
Q. There were a lot of plays with Trevor Lawrence holding the ball and not moving. How much credit goes to the secondary forcing him to hold the ball in that manner?
DEMECO RYANS: Secondary played well today. Getting Jimmie back was big for us, just the communication and his playmaking ability on the back end. Eric Murray stepping up making big time plays for us. Our safeties are communicating and really patrolling the field back there.
They make it tough on quarterbacks, and that's what we expect to see. So they did a really good job today.
Q. When Stroud was able to connect on those long throws, how do you see the dynamic between him, the slots through the game, and how he can approach different scenarios?
DEMECO RYANS: For C.J., we want to be an explosive offense, right? So when they're making big time plays, making big, explosive plays down the field, it's about the connection between. It all starts with the protection. Everybody gives love to the quarterback, but he has to have time to make those throws.
If the protection is good and he puts a nice ball out there, and credit to Tank for making the big time catch as well.
Q. You think the fans like what they're seeing after a tough start to the season?
DEMECO RYANS: Yeah, we're thankful for our fans down here supporting us here in Jacksonville. We're thankful for their support. For us we just want to continue to go out and play great football and put a team on the field that our fans are proud of. Hope our fans are pretty happy this week.
Q. (No microphone). You were down several guys on the offensive line. How are you guys able to rally together and put out a dominating performance?
DEMECO RYANS: How are we able to come together missing a lot of guys? It's my mindset for this entire team and what it's about, it's always a team first mentality. It really doesn't matter who is out there, who's called, it's opportunity when we're missing guys.
We're relying on everybody who steps out on that field just to do their job and do it with a relentless mindset. When guys do that, it doesn't matter who's out, who's in. Just 11 guys playing together, that's winning football.
Q. The field goal block, Cashman also before that, those effort plays, what do you see from that, and what does it say about these players?
DEMECO RYANS: When we make big plays, it's going to always be about effort. It's something I truly believe in. It's relentless effort every play, all out. That's how you win games. That's how you impose your will on other teams is by playing with great effort.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports