The Houston Texans were not satisfied with their performance, despite the win, against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16. Still, Raiders head coach Pete Carroll praised counterpart DeMeco Ryans’ group.
Carroll also offered a telling take that could explain why the now 2-13 Raiders were so effective against the NFL’s No. 1-ranked overall and scoring defense.
Likewise, the Texans offered strong thoughts about a major key to the Raiders’ success.
Raiders HC Pete Carroll Offers Telling Take on Texans
GettyLas Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll on the field before facing the Houston Texans.
Carroll made no bones about his respect for the Ryans and the Texans’ defense, saying that their standing as the best “should underscore everything.”
“I see something in what DeMeco’s done with these guys; in acquiring, recruiting, however it is to get guys that really can play the game. This is a really loaded defense. Not size, weight, speedwise. They are in terms of their playmaking ability,” Carroll told reporters on December 21.
“We didn’t see their top guy today [Azeez Al-Shaair]. But the linebackers, and the safeties, and the corners, … they’re not the biggest, they’re not the fastest. They’re just terrific football players. And they found the scheme that comes out of the San Francisco background, that we recognize, that calls for the ends to play like they play, and they’ve just played right and recruited kind of and and drafted to the strengths of the style that they want to play with.”
Carroll faced off against Ryans’ 49ers teams as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.
“It’s a really important thing to notice for D and how they’ve ever put it together and figured it out. Because it’s really–to me–it’s very impressive,” Carroll said.
“We hold them in the highest of regard. And so, to play against them well was–I think it’s a great statement for us. But they’re on track, and [C.J.] Stroud played well enough to win the game, made enough plays today. And see [Nick] Chubb get out there and run the ball a little bit, one of my favorites. It was a heck of a football game.”
DeMeco Ryans Praises Raiders
GettyHouston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans looks on against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Carroll praised his offensive line, running back Ashton Jeanty–who had a monster day as a runner and pass-catcher–and offensive coordinator Greg Olson and his staff for scheming up explosive plays against Ryans’ Texans.
Ryans offered similar talking points, albeit in an alternate light.
He lamented the amount of explosive plays allowed, the offense’s slow start, and the lack of control in the trenches and how it impacted both teams’ run games. But he praised the Raiders.
“I really got to give credit to the Raiders,” Ryans told reporters postgame. “This is a really good team, well-coached team. Their defense, they played outstanding. Offense, Jeanty made some huge plays on us. They got good players, just like everybody does around the league. But this team, they were prepared, just like they were on film all week. We knew this was going to be a tough one going into this game, and they showed up. They played, really, with great effort. They played a great game, and credit to those guys.”
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