HOUSTON TEXANS MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 26, 2025

Kyle Shanahan

Texans - 26, 49ers - 15

Q. (No microphone).

KYLE SHANAHAN: A little bit of everything. It wasn't good enough at all. In all three phases, special teams played the best. But I thought we struggled to tackle, struggled to get a rush. We made too many mistakes in the secondary. Felt like we didn't challenge them enough in man either. So a little bit of everything.

Q. Kyle, there were more injuries on the defense side of the ball today. Talking about tackling, is part of it just lack of healthy bodies and talent?

KYLE SHANAHAN: Yeah, makes it harder. We played a lot better last week. We can do a lot better than we did today.

Q. Are any of those injuries today potentially serious?

KYLE SHANAHAN: We'll see. Two ankles don't look like highs. Dee Winters with his knee, just inflammation. Hopefully it will be all right.

Q. (No microphone).

KYLE SHANAHAN: He made some plays, and he missed some too. I don't think anyone on offense did that good. We had to really take advantage of, you know, they held on to the ball as good as any team that I've been around. Going against them, we had to really take advantage when we did get the ball. Too many mistakes. When the defense is out there that long, we can't go three and out. Too many of those today.

I thought Mac made some good plays. The touchdown at the end of the second quarter, the touchdown to JJ down the field. Just collectively, as an offense, too many mistakes.

Q. In a game like this, does it damage your team's morale, spirit?

KYLE SHANAHAN: I would hope not. We got beat today. Credit to them. They kicked our ass. We've got to take it like men, go to work, and play better next week than we did this week.

Q. Was that your message to the team?

KYLE SHANAHAN: Definitely. There's not much to sugarcoat there. I was real disappointed with how we looked for all four quarters. First half was unacceptable. Second half didn't get much better. Not much to say about it except that we'll look at it on the plane and figure out all the things we can correct and did mess up. I expect the guys to come in tomorrow with a chip on their shoulder ready to get back to work.

Q. You got the Kittle touchdown before halftime and then the Deommo interception. Did you think things were turning?

KYLE SHANAHAN: I knew we had a chance, especially when we started with the ball. I thought we had a chance at the end with the fourth quarter. There were a couple of opportunities we could have came back, and we didn't stop them. Made it two-score lead there at the end, which was tough.

They outplayed us a lot today, but I still thought we had our opportunities to find a way at the end, and we didn't get it done.

Q. Is it too greedy to want Moore to go out of bounds so you could maybe do something?

KYLE SHANAHAN: It will be good stuff to review with him. It was tough, 11 seconds before the play. We need awareness of that when it happens. I think when you catch it by the sidelines, I think he has time to look to score. I think once we can't, we've got to get down immediately. I think it was a little greedy, just get in on him for that. It was a helluva play by Deommo, nice to break the stretch of not getting a pick. A good situation to cover with all our guys tomorrow.

Q. (No microphone). As far as getting and defensive reinforcements, does today change your perception?

KYLE SHANAHAN: Nothing changes anything. Has to do with what's available out there. Does it help us this year, does it help us next year. Usually, as things get closer, you get an idea on who's real, who's not. We'll evaluate that.

Q. Was the defensive game plan of Texas (indiscernible)?

KYLE SHANAHAN: No, it wasn't.

Q. (Indiscernible) is it frustrating for you as a coach trying to find the answers.

KYLE SHANAHAN: Injuries are part of a game. Used to get a lot more frustrated with it. I'm more used to it over my career. The frustrating part is trying to find answers and not working throughout the game.

Q. Coach, you have a local guy on your team, Upton Stout. Can you say what you've seen him add to the team in practice and on the game field?

KYLE SHANAHAN: I've been happy we got Upton. We loved him in college and loved him since he's been here. Good to get him back out here today after his injury last week. He's a young guy with a promising future.

Q. Are you happy with the effort of the guys. Obviously, there were mistakes. Effort-wise, were you happy?

KYLE SHANAHAN: There was no place in particular I was questioning anybody's effort. I'll be able to see that in more detail when I get on the plane. Collectively, as a whole, I felt our team a little bit more today. There was nothing where I saw guys loafing or anything like that. It will be easier to see when I study the tape.

Q. (No microphone).

KYLE SHANAHAN: Just coming out. I felt them in the locker room and everything. But the first half was tough. I think it was 14 first downs to 2. Just the time of possession and everything like that, it was just a tough first half. An unusual first half.

Q. Kyle, based on what happened with the defense the last week, against all odds, you guys overcame. Was it a reality check that you've got to have (no microphone).

KYLE SHANAHAN: I mean, our reality is pretty realistic on what we deal with every week. So we knew we had a tough game verse Atlanta. We thought we had a tough game today. All those things, you guys can write about that stuff, but it's definitely hard when you lose really good players. We've had that situation throughout this year. All I want us to do is play as good as we can play. You can deal with whatever. Today, we didn't play as good as we can play.

Thanks, guys.