The Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars faced off this past Sunday in an AFC South battle, Houston was able to fight off a late Jacksonville run, scoring 14 fourth quarter points, and hold on for a 23-20 victory.
The win moved Houston to 8-5 on the year and now have a stronghold on the division:
- Houston Texans: 8-5
- Indianapolis Colts: 6-7
- Tennessee Titans: 3-9
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 2-10
However, it was what head coach DeMeco Ryans said after the game that had fans reacting.
“How Can He Say That?!” Texans Head Coach DeMeco Ryans Slams Trevor Lawrence (Report)
In the second quarter of Sunday’s game between the two AFC South opponents, Al-Shaair was ejected for a dirty and vicious hit on Lawrence. Lawrence, who had already given himself up by sliding to the ground, suffered a concussion after Al-Shaair’s hit. Nevertheless, DeMeco Ryans blames the opposition:
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Ryans said the Jagaurs “overreacted” to the hit on Lawrence. He emphasized that the team supports Al-Shaair and opined that Lawrence deserves some of the blame for the hit:
“The entire thing is Azeez hits the guy, but their sideline overreacts and it turns into a melee. It wasn’t our guys. Their team overreacted, pushed our guy, dragging our guy to the sideline, so that’s uncalled for on that side. We have to be better on the sideline…
With the entire Azeez situation, we stand behind Azeez and everything that came from that. Of course, he — unfortunate hit on the quarterback. But it’s also — it’s twofold, right?
“I mean, a lot of the quarterbacks in this day and age, they try to take advantage of the rule where they slide late, and they try to get an extra yard, and now you’re a defender, a lot of onus is on the defender whether it’s on the sideline or whether it’s on the quarterback. You don’t know what a guy is thinking. You don’t know if a guy is standing up, and he’s continuing to run.”
DeMeco Ryans defends Azeez Al-Shaair and blasts the Jacksonville Jaguars for their overreaction after Al-Shaair’s hit on Trevor Lawrence. pic.twitter.com/PcbGRQdLdK
— Jeremy Branham (@JeremyBranham) December 2, 2024
With all due respect to DeMeco Ryans, NFL teams will always come to the defense of their player (especially the quarterback) if they’re the victim of an unnecessary cheap shot. This wasn’t Al-Shaair’s first defenseless hit on a player in 2024, either.
Fans were quick to react to this:
I am sure you and the rest of your team and fanbase would have a different reaction if that was Stroud taking that hit.
— Tiffany (@tiffanytwizzle) December 3, 2024
Overreaction? They were protecting their QB after a dirty hit. Or are you ignoring the forearm shiver?
Al-Shaair has far too long a history to get the benefit of the doubt.
— What’s a name, anyways? (@JuvenileBluster) December 3, 2024
Just lost all respect for this guy. Used to think he was a charm of a coach. How are you going to have the audacity as a head coach in the NFL to say the opposing team “overreacted” to a hit that possibly could have ended Trevor Lawrence’s career.
— Jaguarsforlife (@alessandro69048) December 2, 2024
There was nothing wrong with the Jags reaction! 30 other teams would have done the same.
— Ed K 24 (@kaps2000_e) December 2, 2024
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