Texans now channeling Nick Saban in attempt to avoid 2024 hype

There is no shortage of hype surrounding the Houston Texans in 2024 after the franchise's standout 2023 campaign and subsequent blockbuster offseason. But DeMeco Ryans' squad appears to be avoiding the preseason hype that befalls a small handful of franchises each season. A nod to Ryans' alma mater is helping matters.

Houston linebacker Christian Harris used a famous two-word phrase from former Alabama coach Nick Saban to explain Houston's purported ignorance of offseason headlines. For some, the optimism of July and August can become a trap leading into the harsh realities of September and October. Harris, in borrowing from Saban, isn't taking the bait.

"It ain’t nothing but rat poison,” Harris told NFL journalist Tyler Dunne in reference to preseason projections regarding the Texans. "It’s a blessing to be in this position to have a great team that we have and we know we have a great opportunity.

"But another part of that is knowing we have to put the work in. So listening to everybody's predictions on the outside? We got to put the work in."

Harris isn't the first member of the Texans to deploy the "rat poison" analogy. Ryans himself stole the motivation technique from Saban in October 2023 after a win over the New Orleans Saints.

"Don't buy into the rat poison," Ryans told the media in Houston. "You don't need to get caught up in it. ... [The] standings will take care of themselves if you handle business each week the proper way. "[We've] got to just continue to grind throughout the entire process."

Ryans' squad wasn't derailed by the media attention last season en route to the AFC South title and a win over the Cleveland Browns in the AFC wild card round. Expectations will weigh significantly heavier this season, especially in the early months compared to 2023. Stroud is a reigning Rookie of the Year who is on the offseason media tour of a lifetime. Star wide receiver Stefon Diggs is in tow, and Ryans is considered among the NFL's brightest young coaches.

Last year's run to the division title was a surprise. The AFC South crown is now the expectation.

The Texans concluded their mandatory minicamp in Houston last week. Training camp will begin in mid-July before Stroud and Co. kick off the 2024 preseason with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio on Aug. 1. Houston will face the Chicago Bears, who selected USC star Caleb Williams with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL draft.