AFC Notes: Derrick Henry, Colts, Texans, Titans

Colts

• Texas Tech CB Rayshad Williams met with the Colts at the Hula Bowl. (Ryan Fowler)

Texans

The Texans and Ravens played all the way back in Week 1, and it didn’t go well for Houston. Baltimore won handily by a score of 25-9 but it did teach OC Bobby Slowik some important lessons that he and the team used to fuel the rest of their breakout 2023 season. 

“I think the biggest part with that — and I use the phrase ‘rock my boat’ a little bit — like I started with the ‘505,’ and it’s the first game we’ve had under this scheme, and you need to start with the ‘101,’” Slowik said via KPRC.com’s Aaron Wilson. “And, we didn’t do that, and we didn’t really give anybody a chance. And after that, we kind of changed how we were approaching some things, how we coached some things, how we were setting some things up, and the other part of it is in that game, I think we all got a really clear picture of what we were really good at as an offense and as specific individuals on the offense.

“And guys have just grown from there. They’ve expanded what they’re good at. They’ve amplified the things they showed in that game that they can do really well, and that really kind of, like I said, set the table for the rest of the year. From that point on, we’ve had a pretty focused vision for what we want to do on offense, and I think everybody has been on the same page in that regard.”

Slowik’s work with the Texans offense and first-round QB C.J. Stroud has garnered him considerable attention in this coaching cycle, with five requests to interview so far. Texans HC DeMeco Ryans said the advice he gave to Slowik was to be selective about which job he takes. 

“Yeah, my advice to Bobby is to be selective,” Ryans said. “You only get one opportunity to do it, and you want to make sure you’re selective and that you’re going to — if you get the opportunity — going to a place that you feel like you can be effective.”

Titans

Titans RB Derrick Henry said there were two teams, both in the AFC, that were interested in trading for him at the deadline.

“Yeah, I know two for sure,” Henry said, via Titans Wire. “The other one, I don’t know if that would have happened. But one of them, I felt like it was pretty close. A lot went down between … that little saga with the trade.”

Henry added that the possibility of him being traded became much more real when the team traded S Kevin Byard to the Eagles.

“When they traded (Byard), I was just like ‘dang,’” he said. “They trade KB, I might be out of here too. When you think of a Titan, KB represents all of that.”

Henry added he wants to compete for a Super Bowl and admitted he believes Tennessee is heading in a different direction in the interim.

“I’m not saying (the door is closed) but I just feel like they’re going in a different direction,” Henry said. “I feel like (the firing of Mike Vrabel) definitely solidified that. And that’s OK, that happens. That’s the nature of the business. We want something to last forever. Nothing does, especially in this business. I’ll always be a Titan, even if I don’t come back. But, at the end of the day, I want to win the Super Bowl and wherever that is that gives me the best chance, that’s what I want to do.”