The Houston Texans take on the Indianapolis Colts to kickoff the 2024 regular season on Sunday, and head coach DeMeco Ryans feels confident about his team's preparation and mentality heading into Week 1.
Some might feel that the two-week period following the end of preseason and leading up to the start of the regular season, might interfere with the 'competitive juices' that are flowing within a team's locker room. But for Ryans and the Texans, that's not a concern.
“It doesn't change for me," Ryans said. "When you're a competitor, you compete. Whether it's preseason, training camp, whatever the day is, we don't turn it on. For me, personally, I don't turn it on once the season starts. Every day, for me, is a competitive day. Like, how can we get better? How can we win? How can we improve? So, it doesn't change now that the season kicks off for us. Our mentality doesn't change as a team. My mentality doesn't change as a coach.”
However, if the Texans plan on winning against the Colts, they will need to implement a well-balanced approach offensively. Though the arrival of Stefon Diggs adds another weapon for their passing game, establishing the run game early on gives the Texans promising odds to secure the win. That said, Ryans knows what his running backs are up against and understands that he can't fall in love with this strategy.
“They are really great front seven, start with the two interior guys, [DeForest] Buckner and [Grover] Stewart," said Ryans. "Those guys are a force inside. But it's not about if we have to run it, whatever we have to do to move the football up and down the field. It really doesn't matter. It's running the ball, throwing the ball, whatever it takes for us to be successful, moving the football that is what we will do."
A season ago, Ryans and his Texans went 1-1 against a scrappy Colts team, losing 31-20 at home over Week 2 only to come away with a 23-19 win against them on the road to end the campaign. Fast forward a year later, Ryans and the Texans are once again taking on a tough Colts team, this time on the road.
"New year, not worried about last year," said Ryans when asked how he feels about facing the Colts after last season. "Last year was last year. We're fully focused on 2024 we're completely different team. They're a different team as well. So for me, last year has nothing to do with this year going into their place."
The Texans and Colts are set to kick off at 12 p.m. CT on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium.
