Ryans takes blame for late timeout as Texans fall to 0-3 with loss to Colts

DeMeco Ryans pointed the finger at himself for a timeout that came with 29 seconds left as Houston fell to 0-3 against Indianapolis.

The Houston Texans lost 19-17 to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in a matchup of AFC South rivals, a two-point defeat that dropped Houston to 0-3 and left the club among the early disappointments of the 2026 NFL season. Afterward, head coach DeMeco Ryans put the blame for one late-game decision on himself.

The decision in question involved clock management on Indianapolis' final possession. Facing first-and-10 from the Houston 45, the Colts ran the ball for five yards with 1:05 left in the game. Indianapolis kept the football on the ground five times in all on the drive. Ryans did not call a timeout until only 29 seconds remained on the clock, and that delay was the decision he came to regret.

Ryans acknowledged the error in his postgame session with reporters. "If I could make a better decision, I'll look at that and try to see where I can make that better decision," Ryans said. He added that, even though others weigh in on when to call timeouts, the final decision is his.

"Everything starts with me," Ryans said when asked about not calling a timeout earlier on the Colts' last drive. The answer stretched to the team's overall position. "As a team, it all starts with me. Right now it's not good enough from our perspective," he said. "I gotta get back to the drawing board and do a better job."

The skid is the worst opening stretch of Ryans' time as a head coach. Under his guidance, the Texans had grown into an annual contender in the AFC South. Putting the offense in the hands of quarterback C.J. Stroud helped make Houston a regular playoff participant, which makes the current record a sharp break from recent seasons.

Injuries have compounded the tough opening. Star wide receiver Nico Collins and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair are among the players dealing with health issues, and Al-Shaair's situation in particular has added to the concern around the team's start.

Ryans said he is trying to keep an optimistic outlook through the rough stretch. Three games into the schedule, the Texans have already been branded a disappointment by outside observers, and the coach made clear he believes the turnaround starts with his own performance.

There is recent precedent for a recovery, though. Houston opened the 2025 campaign with the same 0-3 record before eventually finding its footing. A return to the playoffs this season would give the franchise consecutive postseason bids in two years that each began 0-3, an achievement that would put the club in new and rare territory.

The Texans are not the only team off to a winless start in the young season. The Chargers have also dropped their first three games, leaving both clubs still chasing a first win.