After a rough outing against Cincinnati, Houston’s special teams coordinator acknowledged the unit’s mistakes and outlined what needs to change.
The Houston Texans are looking to clean up several issues on special teams after a difficult performance against the Cincinnati Bengals, and special teams coordinator Frank Ross made it clear Thursday that the unit has plenty of work to do.
Speaking with the media, Ross described the Bengals loss as a “tough football game” while emphasizing that the focus inside the building has already shifted toward correcting the mistakes that contributed to the outcome.
“Ready to improve ourselves this week,” Ross said. “We got to execute better than a week ago, make our field goals, tackle better. Recipe is never going to change.”
That recipe starts with execution.
The Texans' special teams unit had opportunities against Cincinnati but failed to capitalize on them, including a missed field goal that Ross specifically addressed Thursday. Rather than deflecting responsibility, Ross acknowledged that the kicking operation did not perform at the necessary level.
“Not going to hide from it, we missed an opportunity,” Ross said. “That’s on me. I got to be better.”
Ross also pointed to multiple parts of the operation that contributed to the issue, mentioning a low snap and a hold that was not good enough. For a unit where timing and precision are critical, even a small breakdown can turn a scoring opportunity into a missed chance.
The Texans now have to make sure the mistake becomes a teaching moment rather than a recurring problem.
Ross was also asked about whether changes could be coming to the special teams unit following the performance. His response put the responsibility squarely on himself to make sure the players are prepared.
“It’s my job to get everybody ready to go,” Ross said.
That preparation will also need to address Houston's performance in kick coverage.
Ross said the Texans need to play what he called “compression football” and improve their tackling. The goal is to have defenders working together rather than allowing returners to find space and create additional yardage.
“I want guys to play aggressive off each other in coverage,” Ross said. “Need to have more population to the ball.”
That emphasis could be particularly important moving forward. Special teams plays can quickly change field position, and missed tackles in coverage can put an opposing offense in favorable territory before it even takes an offensive snap.
While Ross acknowledged the areas that need improvement, he also had positive things to say about punter Kai Kroeger. The Texans are looking for consistency from Kroeger, and Ross believes the young punter has responded well to the coaching he has received.
“He’s taking the coaching we’re asking him to do and directionally kicking the ball,” Ross said. “Pretty proud of where we are with him.”
That consistency could become an important part of Houston's special teams identity as the season progresses.
For Ross, the message following Thursday's media availability was straightforward: the Texans cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes. Missed opportunities, inconsistent tackling and breakdowns in execution all contributed to a frustrating performance against Cincinnati.
Now, the challenge is turning those mistakes into corrections.
Ross is not hiding from the problems facing his unit. Instead, he is taking responsibility for them and putting the emphasis on preparation, execution and accountability.
