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Special teams is the phase that gets talked about last and noticed least. Both DeMeco Ryans and N.D. Kalu went out of their way to put it first this week.
Ka'imi Fairbairn From 58
Ryans, speaking with John Harris on The DeMeco Ryans Show, didn't hide how he feels about his kicker.
"Ka'imi — I can't say enough great things about him," Ryans said. "We're there at midfield, third down. It's like, man, we got to get a few more yards here. And Ka'imi goes out and he nails a 58-yard field goal like it's nothing."
"It's great to have that guy on our side," he said. "He's a true weapon for us. And we want to use that weapon when we need to. And we needed him. On Sunday, he came through big time for us."
Kalu had the same reaction watching it back.
"Fairbairn's doing what Fairbairn does. Fifty-eight yards, right down the middle," he said.
Kai Kroeger's First Regular-Season Work
Ryans was just as pleased with his punter, who pinned Buffalo deep more than once.
"Kai was exceptional," Ryans said. "To have those punts that he had to give us the backed-up opportunities — that's what you hope for with your punter. And he gave us exactly what we needed. Kai did his job, did a phenomenal job."
Kalu made the broader point about why it matters.
"I'm glad you brought that up, because there are three phases of football — offense, defense and special teams," he said. "And you find something positive, because it's like, hold on. They had a pretty good day on the special teams side."
Jadeveon Clowney, Back in a Texans Uniform
Houston's first sack of the 2026 season came from a familiar face. Jadeveon Clowney, back with the team that drafted him first overall in 2014, got home — a takedown that moved him into a tie with Will Anderson Jr. for fourth on the Texans' all-time sacks list at 30.
Ryans didn't treat it as a footnote.
"That was a cool moment for Clowney to be back in a Texans uniform, and for him to get our first sack of the 2026 season," he said. "That was really, really special. I know it's special for him. And we hope to continue to improve that. So like where he started, now we get those guys all rolling together. It should be a good weapon for us."
"Our Fans Were Exceptional"
The other thing Ryans wanted on the record was the building.
"Our fans were exceptional," he said. "And to see the crowd — I mean, see everybody in their seats at kickoff, to see everybody in their own way, it was cool. It was a cool moment. Our team felt that energy from our fans."
His message for Sunday, with Cincinnati coming to Reliant Stadium, was direct.
"We would love to have pulled that game out for you, Houston. But hey, we're battling back," Ryans said. "Week two, we wanna see you in your seats again, man. We're excited to have a great game, and we want you guys to go home winners."
Kalu: "This Is Still Going to Be a Special Year"
Kalu, who played seven seasons in Houston, closed with the long view.
"If the offense can continue to score 30-plus points, if the special teams looks the way they looked yesterday, and the defense plays to their ability — I mean, this is still going to be a special year," he said.
"We all know football, and we see the stars you have on this defense. I just feel like they're gonna get this thing turned around."
He also liked what he heard about the mood in the building.
"I like that going into meetings this morning, there's not a bunch of guys patting themselves on the back," Kalu said.
Hear the full conversation on The Coach's Show presented by Amegy Bank — new every week in the Texans All-Access podcast feed. Listen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
