Texans Defense Not Settling for Wins: “Our Standard Is Very High”
The Houston Texans are riding high on a six-game winning streak and sitting at 9-5, but don’t let the win column fool you-inside the locker room, there’s a sense that the job isn’t close to finished. Especially on the defensive side of the ball.
For head coach DeMeco Ryans and his defense, it’s not just about stacking victories. It’s about how they’re earned. And after their most recent outing, the message is clear: the Texans expect more from themselves.
“We didn’t play up to our standard, defensively,” Ryans told reporters this week. “We have a lot to go out and improve.”
It’s a telling statement from a coach whose team just held its opponent to 20 points and came out on top. But that’s the thing-Houston isn’t measuring itself against the scoreboard or the rest of the league. This group is chasing its own ceiling.
That mindset is echoed by edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., who’s quickly become one of the emotional leaders of this young, surging defense.
“For us, our standard is very high,” Anderson said. “Obviously, it wasn’t good enough. We talk about leaving no meat on the bone, and we left a lot out there.”
Anderson’s frustration isn’t about the final score-it’s about the details. Missed assignments, blown coverages, mental lapses. The kind of things that don’t always show up in the box score but can come back to bite you in December and January.
“At this time of the year, we can’t be making those same mistakes,” Anderson continued. “If we want to go where we want to go, everyone has to own it-look in the mirror and take responsibility for their job.”
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a defensive meltdown. Houston allowed 249 passing yards and 20 points to Jacoby Brissett and the Cardinals-not exactly a disaster.
But that’s not the bar this team is setting. The Texans believe they can be dominant, not just decent.
And they’re holding themselves to that.
That level of accountability is part of what’s made this team one of the most compelling stories of the season. A year ago, the Texans were rebuilding. Now, they’re a legitimate playoff contender-led by a rookie quarterback on offense and a defense that’s playing with pride, purpose, and more than a little edge.
And now, with the 2-12 Las Vegas Raiders coming to town, the Texans see an opportunity-not just to win, but to clean up the details and play to the level they expect from themselves.
The Raiders, for their part, are playing out the string. At 2-12, their postseason hopes are long gone, and many players are fighting for jobs more than wins. But that doesn’t mean Houston can afford to take its foot off the gas.
If anything, the Texans are approaching this matchup with even more urgency. They know what’s at stake-not just in the standings, but in the tone they set heading into the final stretch.
This is a team that’s not content with being good. They want to be great. And that starts with holding each other accountable, even when the wins are piling up.
So while the rest of the league might be impressed with the Texans’ recent run, inside the building, the focus is sharper than ever. The message is simple: the standard is the standard-and it hasn’t been met yet.