DeMeco Ryans takes back defensive play‑calling as Texans sit at 0-4

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans announced Wednesday that he will handle defensive play‑calling going forward, taking those duties back from defensive coordinator Matt Burke as the team searches for answers after an 0-4 start.

Ryans framed the move as an effort to address breakdowns in communication on defense and to put more accountability on himself. “It all starts with me,” he said, adding that if players feel the messages are not coming through clearly, he views it as his responsibility to get it fixed rather than a reflection on Burke.

Big plays at key moments driving the change

The shift comes days after a 34-30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in which Houston surrendered 399 yards and four second‑half touchdowns. CeeDee Lamb caught 17 passes for 189 yards and a score, while Dak Prescott threw for 335 yards without a turnover as Dallas marched repeatedly in the late stages.

On the whole, the Texans still grade well in several defensive categories, but one glaring issue has been a spike in explosive plays allowed. Their rate of giving up long gains has fallen from a mid‑tier mark last season to one of the worst in the league. Houston has already yielded 17 completions of at least 20 yards, a figure exceeded only by the Detroit Lions.

Those chunk gains have often arrived at the worst possible times. In Week 1, Josh Allen hit Joshua Palmer for a 34‑yard touchdown in the final minute to lift the Buffalo Bills past Houston. In Week 3, Daniel Jones connected with Laquon Treadwell for 20 yards in the closing minutes to set up the go‑ahead field goal. In Week 4, Prescott found George Pickens for a long completion in the final minute shortly before the deciding touchdown.

Reversing last year’s decision in hopes of another spark

This is essentially the reverse of what Ryans did a year ago, when he turned defensive play‑calling over to Burke around Week 4 after a rocky opening stretch. That adjustment preceded a surge that carried Houston from a 1-3 start into the postseason.

The hole is deeper this time. At 0-4, the Texans are attempting to climb back from a start that has historically doomed playoff hopes. Only one team, the 1992 San Diego Chargers, has reached the postseason after dropping its first four games, underscoring the urgency around Ryans’ latest move.

Houston’s first look at the new setup will come in Week 5 on the road against the Tennessee Titans. How the defense handles late‑game situations and limits explosive passes will be a key measure of whether Ryans reclaiming the headset can trigger the turnaround the Texans need.