The Houston Texans are in a jovial mood after defeating the Colts 23-19 to earn their first playoff berth since 2019.

Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns in the biggest game of his young career. He and head coach DeMeco Ryans were overcome with emotion upon securing the win.

After the game, Ryans admitted that there was some relief, according to Bridget Condon of NFL Network:

“DeMeco Ryans says they get to breathe now ‘we get to sit back and watch'”

But Ryans also stressed that there was more work to be done, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC:

“‘We had to play better technique. Tackling we had to be much better.' @KPRC2 #Texans coach DeMeco Ryans”

It's always a balancing act as a coach to take time to enjoy the wins but also set your team's eyes on the next opponent. Since the Texans don't know who their opponent will be until the results of the Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans game on Sunday, it makes sense for the team to exhale and revel in reaching the playoffs.

Said Ryans, again per Wilson, “We want to take in this moment of gratitude and be proud of the season that we've had and fight through in a must-win game and take a breather and just enjoy this moment.”

The Texans head coach also praised his team's mindset headed into Saturday's game. Should they want to make some noise in the postseason, they'll need to carry that same intensity with them, whomever they face.