The Houston Texans have long been known for their elite defense. However, four games into the 2026 season, this unit has been scrutinized for poor play, culminating in an 0-4 start.
For head coach DeMeco Ryans, that means immediate changes are needed.
Ryans spoke to the media after practice on Wednesday and said he would take over. defensive call in place of defensive coordinator Matt Burke.
“It all starts with me. If there’s a lack of communication, I look at myself first,” Ryans said Wednesday. “So it starts with me and making sure I’m a better communicator. So just to help trigger things more, I’m going to take over the play calling defense and I’m going to make sure the communication is good.”
Ryans noted that players on defense said communication was an issue early in the season.
“If our guys say the communication isn’t good, then ultimately that’s on me. So it’s on me to fix it,” Ryans continued. “That’s not a slight against Coach Burke. He’s done an outstanding job. I just want to make sure I can streamline communication in the best way possible so that’s not the theme when I stand up here the next time I see you and talk about communication.”
The winless Texans currently rank 27th in points allowed (27.3 per game) and 20th in yards allowed (343.8 per game) in 2026, according to ESPN Analytics. In contrast, the 2025 Texans ranked No. 2 in points allowed (17.4 per game), behind the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, and No. 1 in yards allowed (277.2 per game).
For a Texas team that prides itself on its defensive prowess, Ryans knows the pick might not please everyone in the locker room.
“It’s a tough decision to make,” Ryans said. “As a head coach, you have a lot of tough decisions to make, and my decisions are not always a popular opinion, and I’m not in this role to please a lot of people’s opinions.”
The winless Texans face the also winless Tennessee Titans in a de facto must-win scenario for playoff survival or the race for a top pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
“I have to do what’s best for this team and make sure I lead that way,” Ryans said. “Unfortunately, not everyone is happy when you make changes…”
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