The Houston Texans shocked the NFL world as they beat the Jim Harbaugh-led Los Angeles Chargers in a 32-12 showdown.
The Texans absolutely crushed Wild Card Weekend, with the defense suffocating Chargers QB Justin Herbert and C.J. Stroud’s thrilling performance throughout the game.
The Stroud-led Texans team was fueled with the need to win after ex-New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan took a jab at them ahead of the matchup, calling this a “bye week” for the Chargers.
Joe Mixon Fires Shots Back at Rex Ryan Over Bye Week Comments
Before the matchup, Ryan made a bold statement against Houston, saying he never realized that Los Angeles had a bye week, hinting that the Texans showdown was a piece of cake for them. This statement did not age well.
“I never realized the Chargers got a bye, that they qualified for a bye,” Ryan said. “But they did because they’re playing Houston. This team right here is No. 1 in the National Football League in scoring defense.
“And by the way, Quentin Johnston, he actually can catch the ball. He had 13 catches. Remember this? The kid that couldn’t catch a cold. All of a sudden, now he’s catching the ball. They’re moving it, they can pound you with the run game. They also realized they have a Hall of Fame quarterback.”
Ryan also doubled down on his comment, saying, “I heard somebody say it was a bye week, that the Chargers were gonna win. Do you know who that was? That’s me. I’m doubling down on the Chargers. Houston, we have a problem.”
This statement, of course, acted as what Nick Saban would call “rat poison” and instilled extra motivation in the Texans’ players to bring their A-game to the table.
SEE MORE: WATCH — Mixon, Texans Players Take Dig at Ryan in Cigar Celebrations After Win vs. Chargers
Reacting to Ryan’s statement before the win, Texans running back Joe Mixon clarified that Ryan’s words don’t mean much to him. He said, “Look, bro, I mean, I’m just here to let my helmet and shoulder pads do the talking. … I’m not going to comment.”
After the Texans’ massive victory, Mixon and head coach DeMeco Ryans made sure to fire shots back at Ryan over the “bye week” comments.
WE SMOKIN’ ON THAT @CoachRexRyan PACK—BYE WEEK‼️🫨 https://t.co/zOcxyaX09S pic.twitter.com/8Y7SvVaxub
— sidelinesarah (@sidelinesarah) January 12, 2025
Mixon came live on Instagram, celebrating their win while listening to Kendrick Lamar’s popular song “Squabble Up,” smoking cigars, and saying, “We smokin’ on that Rex Ryan bye-week pack. C’mon, Rex. C’mon, man. H-Town, we lit tonight. Turn us up, man.”
Another Texans player was heard saying, “That boy said a bye week! That boy said a bye week!” in the background.