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| In Just Two Seasons, Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans Has Earned Respect Around The NFL |
ALLEN PARK, Mich. --- When the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions play their final preseason game on Saturday at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, two former NFL players will be on the sidelines just like they were during their playing days, waiting for the chance to re-enter the game and make a difference.
Yet, those days have passed for DeMeco Ryans, a former linebacker, and Dan Campbell, a former tight end.
Now, they use their talent to decide whether to preserve timeouts in critical moments or leave the offense on the field for a fourth-down play, which is a Dan Campbell hallmark.
Dialing up an aggressive blitz, aiming to sack the opposing quarterback or force a turnover, is a strategy Ryans constantly employs with his defense on the field.
The last time the two coaches faced each other in Week 10 of the 2024 regular season, the Texans took a 16-point lead over the Lions by halftime. Houston was trying to send a message to the rest of the league that they had arrived, making one of the NFL's hottest teams look bad for a half.
Yet, we know that football has two halves, and Detroit regained its dominance in the second half by overcoming the deficit, holding the Texans scoreless, and winning with a 52-yard field goal by kicker Jack Bates.
That matchup didn't end the way Ryans wanted, nor was it as smooth a game as Campbell envisioned. Still, it helped build mutual admiration and respect between the coaches for how each team played, which led to both agreeing on a joint practice before their final preseason game.
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| Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell Addresses The Media Before Joint Practice With The Texans |
"Listen, it's one of the reasons why I'm fired up to practice against them because I think these guys are on the way up," said Campbell when asked about the trajectory of the Houston Texans. "They've been on the way up. Just the nature of the way they go about their business, the way they practice. I talk about [Texans Head] Coach [DeMeco] Ryans over there. I just have a lot of respect for him.
"When you do things the way they do them, the way that they do on Sundays, they go out, they run, they hit, they finish. You're going to be in every game. You're going to have a chance in every game."
Campbell, who became the Lions' head coach in 2021, was impressed by how the Texans built such a strong roster in a short period and mentioned that some players the Texans' General Manager and Executive Vice President Nick Caserio drafted could have easily been on Detroit's team.
"They're a young, talented roster," Campbell said. "They're guys that love ball. Those guys over there, [Lions Executive Vice President and General Manager) Brad (Holmes) and I liked a lot of those guys, too. And it's like oh, OK, I can see that. So, we're excited to see them today.
"It's a promising young roster that does it right. Good coaching. Quarterback's a good player, and he's only going to get better and better. They've got weapons. So, I think they're going to be a juggernaut for years to come is what I think."
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| Texans CB Kamari Lassiter (4), S Calen Bullock (2), and LB Jamal Hill (56) |
The joint practice lived up to expectations as the starters from both teams competed fiercely, creating a regular-season atmosphere. As the two teams held scrimmages on both fields, players kept impressing the fans in attendance by pushing each other to improve.
"Guys were competitive," said Ryans during his post-practice press conference. "Two really competitive teams and physical teams. I really appreciate the way that [Detroit Lions Head Coach] Dan [Campbell] has his group ready to work. I thought we worked in a pro-style manner.
"Everybody was able to work well, I think our guys got a lot of great work out of it, beneficial work, and things we can learn from and grow from. It's the reason why you do joint practice, to get the type of reps we got today. So, very pleased with the outcome."