Linebacker DeMeco Ryans led the NFL in solo tackles as a rookie in 2006.
Each Thursday throughout the 2007 season (except for Week 15), we will conduct interviews with players and stream them live on Texans TV. This week, we featured linebacker DeMeco Ryans, who is tied for sixth in the NFL this year with 35 tackles.
The best part about this series of live interviews is that fans can submit their own questions for the player by clicking **here**. Please include your name and where you're from.
Click on the window to the right to view the archived version of the DeMeco Ryans interview. Below is a transcript of the interview.
1) Greg Davis: Since you've been a Texan, what other teammate have you learned the most from and how has he helped you?
DeMeco Ryans: I've learned a lot from Morlon Greenwood, working side-by-side with him everyday. We always stay after and watch extra film together. He taught me how to study film, how to break it down. So he's a guy I've learned a lot from and we're pretty tight on and off the field.
Brooke Bentley (Texans TV): What do you and Morlon go over?
DeMeco Ryans: We'll take a game and we'll break it down. We'll see a team and what plays they may run on us or what plays they may not run on us. We just check it out and see what we're going to get, so when game time comes and we're out there on the field together we're anticipating what kind of plays we're going to get.
2) Greg Davis: Which running back in the NFL are you most looking forward to playing against this year?
DeMeco Ryans: The running back I'm looking forward to playing against is LaDainian Tomlinson. He's considered the best running back in the NFL. You always want to pair yourself to go up against the best. He's the best player there is, so I'm looking forward to going against him.
Brooke Bentley (Texans TV): His team is having an off season. Do you still think he's going to bring it?
DeMeco Ryans: Yeah, definitely. He's going to be ready to play when it's our time to play.
3) Daryl Micham (Jal, NM): After beginning with two great wins followed by two difficult loses, what do you think will be the hardest thing about playing Miami this weekend?
DeMeco Ryans: I don't think it's going to be hard at all. It's just a matter of us going out and creating some turnovers, getting the crowd into it and having fun like we do. I don't think it's going to be hard at all.
Brooke Bentley (Texans TV): Are you excited to be home for this game?
DeMeco Ryans: Oh yeah, it's definitely always good to come back home after going on the road, especially after a tough loss like that. It's good to come back home.
4) Shane (Humble, TX): Why does the defense come out as a group?
DeMeco Ryans: It was just something was said at the first game of the season – I got all the guys together and I was like, 'Let's not do an individual thing. Let's come out as a group. You know, that's how we should play out there together, as a group. And if we want to be a tight unit, let's walk out together.' And so that's what we've been doing so far, and it just shows how we are together as a defense.
5) Mike Mosey (Houston, TX): What is the defense going to do differently this Sunday to get more pressure on the quarterback
DeMeco Ryans: We're going to continue to do what we've been doing. I think we're going to get a lot more pressure out of our front four guys. We're going to cover better in the backend with the linebackers and the secondary. We're going to expect our defensive linemen, Mario, Amobi, Travis, you know those guys, to get pressure on the quarterback for us.
6) Mike Mosey (Houston, TX): What did you say to Amobi Okoye after he won AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month honors?
DeMeco Ryans: I told him to keep it up. I was the last won to win; I won it in December of last year, so I was the last one to win it. So I was like, 'That's right. Let's keep it here in Houston.'
Brooke Bentley (Texans TV): What did Amobi say to you?
DeMeco Ryans: He was like, 'I'm coming to get Defensive Rookie of the Year, too.' I was like, 'Hey, I'm looking forward to it.'
7) Laura (Corpus Christi, TX): Who's the hardest guy you've gone against and what was the hardest thing about bringing him down
DeMeco Ryans: There are not too many out there that are hard to bring down. I really can't say. It's just, there aren't any. The tougher guys are the smaller guys that you can't really see behind the offensive linemen. When it comes to bringing guys down, it's not a problem.
Texans Live archive
- André Davis (Sept. 27, 2007)
- Amobi Okoye (Sept. 20, 2007)
- Mario Williams (Sept. 13, 2007)
- Jacoby Jones (Sept. 6, 2007)
