The deeper we get into the NFL season and the slimmer the margins become, the difference between winning and losing often comes down to great coaching.
Of course, when comparing the future Hall of Famer Andy Reid to the Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, he’s merely a young Luke Skywalker to the Kansas City Chiefs version of an ageless Yoda. So it really does stand to reason that the levels of dutiful respect shown by coach Ryans toward his former coach are very similar indeed.
“I don’t try to. That’s my old coach. I don’t try to let Andy have that. So, we’re preparing how we need to prepare, and he’s a great coach,” Ryans said leading up to facing the Chiefs. “I had the pleasure of playing for him for one year. He’s an outstanding coach, and he has a track record to prove that.”
So, it’s always a challenge going on with Andy, because whatever you’ve seen on tape, he’s going to have some type of wrinkle. There’s going to be some type of new play design that we can’t prepare for because we haven’t seen it, because he’s very still cutting edge. Just a really smart coach, [he] does a great job of positioning his players, making you have to adjust and think on the fly on defense as well. That’s why he’s one of the best to ever do it.”
Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid walks the sideline before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
Now that the entire season hangs in the balance for the 6-6 Chiefs, you can absolutely bank upon the ever inventive Reid conjuring up even more tricks for his playbook on the primetime stage.
Furthermore, there’s a very real threat that a slightly more freewheeling Patrick Mahomes will show up in order to dig his team out of the hole they’ve found themselves plunged into this season. But Ryans will still be pretty confident that his super impressive defense, spearheaded by pass rushing duo Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, can still swing the competitive balance conclusively in their favor.
Texans Also Facing Challenge of Chiefs Defense, Steve Spagnuolo
The Texans and C.J. Stroud’s offense will also face their own respective challenges as they locks horns with Steve Spagnuolo’s crafty defensive unit which will surely hold equal significance to the final outcome.
Just like the huge respect Ryans holds for coach Reid, Spagnuolo is a proven master of the coaching craft; a wily protagonist who must of course be feared, but overcome come what may.
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“Coach ‘Spags’ has done a great job his entire career of having some of the best defenses in the league,” Ryans said. “What he does, he really stresses offenses with his blitz package. I think that everybody’s aware of that. He does a good job of bringing the pressure, the guys do a great job of executing it. It could be anyone.”
“Cornerbacks, nickels, linebackers, he does a good job of mixing it up. So, you can’t just watch it and say, ‘I know who’s blitzing all the time.’ You really have to trust your rules. You really have to be aware, and the receivers, tight ends, everybody have to be on the same page. Everybody has to see the game through the same set of eyes when it comes to their blitz package, because it’s very lethal. He does a good job of calling it, not only on third down, but in some of those first down, second down, anytime.”
“So, we have to be prepared for that. If we can execute that the right way, we feel like we can make some plays.”
DeMeco Ryans Downplays Rivalry With Chiefs
Ryans’ due diligence is quite rightly focusing on how well coached and marshalled the Chiefs are, but seizing the golden opportunity to finally vanquish the Chiefs at long last is never going to hinge on simply dodging punches.
“No rivalry, no hard feelings. We lost a football game,” Ryans acknowledged last season’s playoff loss to KC. “New season, we have a new team. About this team this year, how do we go out? How do we prepare this week to put ourselves in position to go out and play as best as we possibly can.”
Sticking to the game plan of being aggressive and seizing the advantage makes a lot of sense, and Ryans is in no doubt whatsoever that he has the players who can continue to answer the bell. For as much as Ryans has been understandably respectful towards the Chiefs organization, and in particular Reid and Spagnuolo, he also wants to go after his prey with impunity.
“We know the Chiefs are a really good team,” Ryans doubled down. “It’s our next opponent, so we’re fired up for the matchup. Excited to go play a really good team.”
Should the Texans prevail, then most of the talk will likely center upon a dynasty starting to fade out, but for Ryans, he wants things to revolve around the even more seismic changing of the guard in the AFC.
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