By Adeniyi Precious 
The Houston Texans crushed the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in the NFL playoffs’ first round on Saturday, and head coach DeMeco Ryans couldn’t resist a little jab during his post-game talk. “Outstanding job by everybody. How was that bye week?” he asked, referencing ESPN’s Rex Ryan’s snide comment about the Texans being an easy opponent.
Will Anderson Jr., the Texans’ standout defensive end and former Alabama star, brushed off the noise with a favorite Nick Saban phrase: “It’s rat poison.” Anderson admitted they heard the criticism but didn’t let it faze them. “We played to our standard, stuck to the system, and didn’t try to do too much,” he said.
The Texans, entering as underdogs, proved everyone wrong by dominating on defense. Anderson racked up 1.5 sacks, three QB hits, and helped Houston intercept Justin Herbert four times—one of those picks went all the way for a touchdown. Herbert, who rarely throws interceptions, had a rough night thanks to Houston’s tight pass rush and sticky coverage.
After the game, Anderson shared a motivational gem from his mom: “If God be for you, who can be against you?” He praised the team’s chemistry and called the squad a “special group of guys.”
Houston moves on to the Divisional Round, where they’ll either face the Chiefs in Kansas City or head to Baltimore to take on the Ravens, depending on Sunday’s playoff results. Anderson summed it up simply: “One game at a time. Enjoy the win, but it’s on to the next.”
Let’s see if the Texans can keep the momentum going!