Right here is all the things Houston Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley mentioned forward of their Week 3 sport in opposition to the Indianapolis Colts, together with his ideas on the purple zone execution in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 2, the chemistry between quarterback C.J. Stroud and extensive receiver Jaylin Noel and his course of for making in-game changes.
Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans tight finish Dalton Schultz (86) celebrates after a primary down in the course of the second quarter in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Troy Taormina-Imagn Pictures
Query: On how he maximizes tight finish use in conditions
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Nick Caley: “I feel every week we have now a plan for the utilization of every participant, so tight ends are not any totally different. You are asking about play time final week, it went and transitioned extra to an 11 [personnel] sport. Actually, the sport strikes generally and we attempt to do what we really feel is finest, however all of them have roles. We have now quite a lot of confidence and religion in these guys and I feel you noticed that Week 1. Is each week going to be the identical? No, it isn’t, so we’re all the time making an attempt to attempt to regulate as we have to.”
Q: On whether or not he believes there is a component of overthinking personnel
Caley: “No, I do not. I feel what occurred relative to the final sport was, we had a plan we go into the sport with and I feel you noticed the primary week, we had been sixth or seventh in 13 personnel utilization and center of the highway in 12. The sport adjusts and within the moments of the sport, I felt that one of many issues that may assist us have a chance to maneuver the ball was to strive one thing totally different, open it up somewhat bit. We bought a rhythm and I believed C.J. was dealing it and seeing the ball or seeing the sector properly. I feel that was the power to regulate there and no, I do not. I do not suppose it is a matter of insecurity or simply fully being so drastic from a sport plan standpoint. I feel it is an adjustment or presumably adjustment as the sport flows. That is how I see it.”
Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn (15) misses a discipline objective in the course of the third quarter in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Thomas Shea-Imagn Pictures
Q: On whether or not he feels the sport plan for Week 2 vs. Cincinnati was the fitting strategy
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Caley: “I had confidence going into the sport. I would not put performs in if we did not really feel that we might exit and execute them and also you get confidence by way of going out and executing at observe. We have now to play essentially higher. We have now to do a greater job collectively as an offense and we personal that. Going into the sport, no. I am not going to sit down there and run performs that I do not suppose are going to work. I do not suppose anyone’s going to do this. So, no, to reply your query, no.”
Q: On what stands out about purple zone execution in Week 2 vs. Cincinnati
Caley: “I feel you need to maintain shifting the ball ahead and I feel among the possession downs, we stalled out, wasn’t adequate. I feel the primary week, we had been significantly better in brief yardage. We had been actually higher within the purple [zone] space, however having the ability to proceed and get a brand new set of downs is vital and when you do not convert on third down, that is an issue and that stops you from going and shifting the ball by way of the top zone. Optimistic performs, enjoying clear, eliminating penalties and doing a greater job of simply shifting the ball by way of the, , by way of the perimeter to the excessive, to the low.”
Houston Texans extensive receiver Jaylin Noel (13) catches a deep cross for a primary down within the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 2 sport between the Houston Texans and the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium in Houston on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. The Bengals improved to 2-0 on the season with a 20-6 win on the highway.
Q: On how the usage of 11 personnel helped the offense transfer the ball
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Caley: “I believed simply opening them up normally, we had been going to attempt to get the drop-back sport going somewhat bit and attempt to get some optimistic performs and I believed simply seeing C.J. and the fellows going by way of the development and watching us get some yards there and having the ability to transfer the ball and the consolation degree of shifting that, I believed he did job distributing the soccer. I actually did. I feel that we ended up in all probability doing that somewhat bit extra and that was the intuition all through the sport that I felt in that second quarter, we sort of shifted that means.”
Q: On what must occur to enhance the run sport
Caley: “To start with, give credit score to them. They did an amazing job. We did not do a adequate job coaches gamers when it comes to that, however I feel simply the power we have now to play cleaner up entrance. We have now to do a greater job on capturing combos and double groups and we simply need to do a greater job throughout the board, hat on a hat and I feel having the ability to work by way of these issues and proceed to enhance. Like I mentioned, final week all through our prep I felt assured going into it. I believed we had a very good week of observe. I actually did and I simply do not suppose we had been enjoying fairly in addition to we had all hoped.”
Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans operating again David Montgomery (32) runs in the course of the second quarter in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Troy Taormina-Imagn Pictures
Q: On not going for it on fourth down in Week 2 vs. Cincinnati
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Caley: “We’re all the time able to go for it. We have now performs that all through the week, if there’s one thing that we really feel like we did not like fairly as a lot as possibly we thought or there are points with it from an angle standpoint or regardless of the standpoint was or an execution standpoint, we do not deliver it to the sport. We have now requires these conditions. We’re able to go. We have now confidence as a result of we have executed these in observe and if [Head] Coach [DeMeco Ryans] tells us to go for it, we’re able to go for it and we’re able to go on the market and do it. We’re all the time going to be aligned from that standpoint.”
Q: On WR Jaylin Noel and QB C.J. Stroud‘s chemistry
Caley: “I feel it is continued to develop. He missed a while in Coaching Camp and he is carried out job of coming again, I’ve quite a lot of confidence in him. I feel you noticed it on the jet sweep. You may see the shot performs and he performed quantity of soccer, so I’ve confidence in him. The extra that we’re on the market, you see him develop each single day with C.J. and have quite a lot of confidence with him and the ball goes to go. We will distribute the soccer and I feel he will proceed to be a giant a part of what we do. There is not any lack of confidence from my standpoint in Jaylin Noel and he is aware of that too.”
Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) reacts in the course of the sport in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Troy Taormina-Imagn Pictures
Q: On whether or not using quarterback sneak is situational
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Caley: “We all the time can have that out there, however I feel it’s actually a week-to-week, relying on the core package deal of what we need to get to. Totally different entrance buildings, totally different identities of what you are seeing from a defensive entrance. We have clearly repped it sufficient over the course of the final 12 months and alter that, that is one thing that we are able to do. It simply relies on what we’re trying to see, what would possibly give us a bonus in these conditions, from week-to-week, actually.”
Q: On WR Kayshon Boutte and the issue of getting a participant acclimated in preseason
Caley: “I feel that is the NFL and we have need to be prepared to do this, whether or not it is acquisitions proper earlier than the 12 months begins or in the midst of the season, in the course of the season. I feel these guys do job. I feel he is labored extraordinarily laborious since he is been right here. I’ve religion and confidence in him. I feel he is grown and he is been snug. Even once we began the season, I believed within the position and the relative position from a grouping standpoint that we had him in, he was snug with and I feel that is going to proceed to develop. He is catching on. We’re getting extra performs. We’re stacking extra performs, extra conditions every week and I am assured in him having the ability to go on the market and catch the ball. He had a few good contested catches and stuff like that and he’ll do these issues. I’ve confidence in him and I feel he’ll proceed to develop with us.”
Sep 13, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive sort out Dexter Lawrence II (97) reacts after recovering a fumble in the course of the second quarter at Paycor Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Katie Stratman-Imagn Pictures
Q: On what will be carried out to run the ball in opposition to defensive entrance
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Caley: “You’ve got alternative routes to do these issues and that is all the time from a scheme standpoint. Whether or not it is you are making an attempt to get double groups and hats on guys, a number of hats on guys which might be drawback gamers, he is [Cincinnati Bengals DT Dexter Lawrence II] an amazing participant and we have now to proceed to additionally work on the basics of the footwork and the hand placement and be capable of direct run sure methods primarily based on alert standards and stuff like that. There are a bunch of various methods you are able to do it, as you undergo the run sport plan.”
Q: On whether or not it is tough mixing in run performs
Caley: “I feel within the circulate of the sport, actually. Let me simply say this, you all the time need steadiness. I feel you guys in all probability have all of the stats and stuff like that. You take a look at the physique, final 12 months to this 12 months, I am normally all the time making an attempt to play with some steadiness in an ideal world. Typically that will get out of hand. Typically you need to regulate. I simply felt in the meanwhile once we began within the second quarter, throwing it somewhat bit extra, the rhythm, the power to maneuver the ball, we had been enjoying with rhythm. The quarterback was assured. I believed he did a very good job seeing the sector and once more, that is the place it began to transition. Might I’ve snuck a couple of extra runs in there? Positive, actually I might have. I am not disputing that, however I felt within the second that that was the fitting factor to do for the fellows and to attempt to assist us transfer the ball.”
Jul 31, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans offensive coordinator Nick Caley talks with head coach DeMeco Ryans throughout coaching camp at Houston Methodist Coaching Middle. Necessary Credit score: Troy Taormina-Imagn Pictures
Q: On the method of in-game changes
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Caley: “As you are processing issues real-time, once you come off the sideline, the fellows come off the sideline and we’re going by way of the images and we’re speaking as a workers and with the gamers to make changes. We discuss by way of these issues. Every factor is perhaps somewhat totally different. It is perhaps a personnel grouping or, ‘Hey, let’s get to this grouping and see if we are able to get this man on the level of assault’ or, ‘Hey let’s get to this scheme and these are the the explanation why.’ We discuss it. After every drive, we’ll set the deck. We’ll talk as a workers after which we’ll distribute any data that we have to, to the gamers to have the ability to transfer ahead so we’re all on the identical web page, however that is the method. We talk that by way of the workers, by way of the headset and guarantee that we’re all aligned in what we’re doing shifting ahead.”
Q: On whether or not QB C.J. Stroud taking snaps with a number of facilities was regular
Caley: “I feel that is a course of we all the time do. We’re all the time engaged on that. I feel each day we’re hitting the road and dealing quarterback-center change. That is an on a regular basis factor for us, so we’ll all the time sit there and put time into that each single day and so I feel the most important factor is simply persevering with to be taught from all the things. It is Week 2. I feel it did not go the way in which we needed it to. I will be the primary to inform you, I all the time do inform you, I am by no means going to sit down right here and mislead you guys about issues and take accountability and the one factor I might say is we have carried out some…you’ll be able to look again to Week 1, I believed there have been some positives. We had an opportunity to go win the sport. We actually did not come by way of on that, however there have been some positives. We did not begin off the way in which we needed it to this previous week, however I believed that there have been some positives when it comes to shifting the ball. Can we need to throw the ball that many instances? No. I did not understand C.J. hadn’t thrown the ball that many instances, however I feel there’s steadiness, however I believed within the second that was the fitting factor to do for us and I feel we have now to be taught and we simply bought to maintain making use of and enhancing and people are the mark of excellent groups is constant and regular enchancment from week to week and making an attempt to refine these issues, particularly early within the season. I’ve quite a lot of confidence in our guys. I’ve quite a lot of confidence in our workers and we have now the fitting strategy and simply need to proceed to be sincere and work by way of these issues each single day.”
Sep 20, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans defensive finish Danielle Hunter (55) takes the sector earlier than a sport in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals at Reliant Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Thomas Shea-Imagn Pictures
Q: On Offensive Line/Offensive Run Recreation Coordinator Cole Popovich
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Caley: “Cole’s constant and regular each single day. The usual by no means modifications with Cole. Our normal does not change and I feel that is what makes Cole a very good coach, so I do not suppose you see ebbs and flows and emotional curler coasters. I do not imagine in subscribing to that. I do not suppose a scarcity of consistency is an efficient factor for any line of labor or something like that and he does a very good job, so we proceed to inform the reality. ‘Hey, what can we do as a workers? What can we do to assist the gamers? What can the gamers do to assist themselves? How can we transfer the needle on sure fundamentals and strategies? Can we commit extra time to these issues and might we be taught from the errors?’ Actually, we have now a conscientious group of fellows. I do not suppose there are egos. There are usually not. Employees, identical factor. Our predominant concern is making an attempt to proceed to enhance and be the most effective that we are able to presumably be and being sincere with one another and once more, no egos. Simply go to work, be taught from issues and maintain urgent ahead and that is what we will do.”
Q: On whether or not he believes the struggles of the run sport are as a consequence of missed assignments
Caley: “I feel all the things goes into it. To suppose that all the things’s going to be threading the needle 100% of the time, that is not actual. We have now to be cleaner on these explicit performs. We additionally, I feel, can sit there and look by way of and be capable of regulate and discover alternative ways to have the ability to assist these guys, whether or not it is all through the week, all through the sport, et cetera. I feel we’re all on this factor collectively. It is one play. Actually, we wish these again. However once more, we have now to be taught and we bought to use. For us, it is the power to simply proceed to get higher on sure points the place the deficiencies are. Name it a mixture block, we have now to verify we’re tighter on these. We’re becoming these higher and be taught from it. I am assured that each one of our guys on our facet of the ball will.”
Jul 30, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans middle Evan Brown (67) throughout coaching camp at Houston Methodist Coaching Middle. Necessary Credit score: Troy Taormina-Imagn Pictures
Q: On whether or not the errors on fourth down are simply correctable
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Caley: “We noticed [Evan Brown] make that block. He does an amazing job. He is a competitor. I’ve confidence in him, had confidence in him. We would not name the performs if we did not have confidence in him. I might not try this. Then there is definitely issues like we develop. We advanced final 12 months. Yearly I’ve coached for 21 years, you are going to be taught and you are going to develop and you are going to see what you might be, particularly early within the season. That is going to be a course of like anything and we will proceed to attempt to put our greatest foot ahead as we get going.”
This text initially appeared on Texans Wire: Every part Texans OC Nick Caley mentioned forward of Week 3 sport vs Colts
