{"id":198,"section":"sports","section_label":"Sports","url":"https://www.brokenews.co/sports/198","headline":"Ryans takes back defensive play-calling as Texans sit at 0-4","dek":"The move strips coordinator Matt Burke of play-calling duties after Houston's defense slid to No. 20 in yards allowed and No. 26 in points allowed through four games.","body":"DeMeco Ryans is taking back defensive play-calling duties for the Texans, he told reporters in his Wednesday press conference. The move comes with Houston sitting at 0-4 to start the season.\n\nRyans handed the play-calling job to defensive coordinator Matt Burke last September, after holding it himself for his first two-plus years as head coach. The results were strong at the time: the Texans finished No. 1 in scoring defense and No. 2 in yards allowed last season. This year has looked nothing like that. Through four games, Houston ranks No. 20 in yards allowed and No. 26 in points allowed.\n\nRyans pointed to communication issues as part of the problem, and said fixing that starts with him. \"It all starts with me. If there's a lack in communication, I look at myself first,\" he said.\n\nBurke had called the plays since early last season. With Ryans now back in control, the Texans will look for a quick turnaround as they try to climb out of their 0-4 hole.","published_at":"2026-10-08T19:17:55.251375+00:00","source_count":5,"written_from":[{"outlet":"Pro Football Talk","publisher":"NBC Sports","title":"DeMeco Ryans taking back defensive play-calling for Texans","url":"https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/demeco-ryans-taking-back-defensive-play-calling-for-texans"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"DeMeco Ryans taking back defensive play-calling for Texans","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/demeco-ryans-taking-back-defensive-195727981.html"},{"outlet":"New York Post","publisher":"New York Post","title":"DeMeco Ryans making major Texans change after defensive struggles","url":"https://nypost.com/2026/10/07/sports/demeco-ryans-taking-over-texans-play-calling-after-struggles/"},{"outlet":"ESPN","publisher":"ESPN","title":"Texans coach Ryans taking over defensive playcalling after 0-4 start","url":"https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50127159/texans-demeco-ryans-taking-defensive-playcalling-duties"},{"outlet":"CBS Sports","publisher":"CBS Sports","title":"DeMeco Ryans taking over defensive play-calling duties from Matt Burke as Texans try to climb out of 0-4 hole","url":"https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/texans-demeco-ryans-defensive-play-calling-duties-matt-burke/"}],"more_coverage":[{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans' DeMeco Ryans makes significant play-caller change after just four weeks","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-demeco-ryans-makes-significant-200230288.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans coach DeMeco Ryans is taking over play-calling duties from defensive coordinator Matt Burke","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-coach-demeco-ryans-taking-205244148.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans' DeMeco Ryans takes over defensive play-calling duties amid 0-4 start","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-demeco-ryans-takes-over-204111366.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"DeMeco Ryans takes over defensive play-calling for the 0-4 Texans","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/demeco-ryans-takes-over-defensive-210516611.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans Taking Over Play-Calling on Defense","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-head-coach-demeco-ryans-205429265.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"DeMeco Ryans makes desperation move with Texans DC after 0-4 start","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/demeco-ryans-makes-desperation-move-211214980.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans HC DeMeco Ryans makes major defensive decision ahead of Titans game","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-hc-demeco-ryans-makes-212938194.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Why now was the time for DeMeco Ryans to take back control of the Texans' defense","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/article/why-now-was-the-time-for-demeco-ryans-to-take-back-control-of-the-texans-defense-215230687.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans coach DeMeco Ryans makes significant change after 0-4 start","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-coach-demeco-ryans-makes-215418132.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Houston Texans' 0-4 start forces DeMeco Ryans to make a drastic change","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/houston-texans-0-4-start-222940538.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans HC DeMeco Ryans calls audible, takes over play-calling duties vs. Titans","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-hc-demeco-ryans-calls-224916102.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Texans’ DeMeco Ryans Pulls Plug Amid Hot Seat Speculation","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/texans-demeco-ryans-pulls-plug-232116730.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"DeMeco Ryans making major Texans change after defensive struggles","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/demeco-ryans-making-major-texans-215512269.html"},{"outlet":"Yahoo Sports","publisher":"Yahoo Sports","title":"Will Anderson Jr.’s fiery take on why DeMeco Ryans’ play-calling coup will be game-changer","url":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/anderson-jr-fiery-why-demeco-150318264.html"}],"embed":null,"license":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/","attribution":"Analysis data is licensed CC BY 4.0. 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